Congratulations James Arbuckle OAM

It is with great pleasure that we advise of the appointment of James (Jim) Arbuckle to the Order of Australia, in this year’s Queen's Birthday Honours List.

We were fortunate to have had Jim as a Director from 1989 to 2018.  In acknowledging Jim’s achievements with Bentleigh Bayside Community Health and later Connect Health  & Community, we also need to recognise his wife, Mabel – not only for what she did, being pivotal in the establishment of the organisation, but also for introducing Jim to the organisation.  We also wish to acknowledge the fundraising they both undertook for the construction of the Hydrotherapy pool.

Jim joined the then Committee of Management in 1989 and shortly after was made Treasurer, a position that he continued to hold until 1997.  At that time, he stepped down from the Committee for a period of time to act as Chief Financial Officer.  Once the organisation’s financial systems were established and running smoothly, he rejoined the Committee of Management as a Director. 

Jim was one of the key figures in assisting the organisation transition from an Incorporated Association (with a Committee of Management) to a Company Limited by Shares (with a Board) operating in accordance with ASIC regulations.  On this, he was not only a Director, but also Chaired the Board’s Finance and Audit Committee until 2017.  Jim came to the end of his maximum permitted tenure, as laid out in the organisation’s constitution, in October 2018.

We are delighted that Jim has received this prestigious award, which he richly deserves.