New Chair and Deputy Chair appointed to RDA Brisbane committee
The Australian Government has appointed senior executive Mr Shane Fracchia as the new Chair of RDA Brisbane, and long-standing committee member and business academic Dr Patricia Rowe as Deputy Chair.
In announcing new appointments across most States including Queensland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development the Hon Warren Truss said the three-year appointments will provide leadership to RDA committees to drive economic growth and make the most of the potential capability of their regions.
Regional Development Australia consists of a national network of 55 committees designed to strongly focus on regional economic development and facilitate projects that aim to make a difference in their local communities.
The committees also assist community stakeholders to develop infrastructure proposals for the new $1 billion National Stronger Regions Fund, and advise on potential co-funding sources.
Mr Fracchia has over 20 years' leadership and management experience across a range of sectors including engineering and architectural services, health care, management consulting and defence. He is currently Chief Operating Officer at Calibre Consulting, a built environment consultancy headquartered in Brisbane with over 600 staff across offices in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
He has also served 13 years in the community sector with more than eight years as CEO of Holy Spirit Care Services, a not-for profit provider of residential aged care services and retirement villages in Queensland.
Mr Fracchia replaces Mr John Shepley, who served as the inaugural Chair for five years and under whose leadership RDA Brisbane developed into an effective and engaged organisation with a stable and participative membership.
New Deputy Chair Dr Patricia Rowe is one of RDA Brisbane's founding members. A lecturer in management at the University of Queensland Business School, she entered academic life after a 20 year career in management.
Dr Rowe teaches in areas related to organisational behaviour, leadership, change management, strategic human resource management, knowledge management, innovation and creativity.