Robert Marriott BA (Hons) CAHRI - Chair
Robert’s career has spanned senior human resource management roles in the public sector and education in Victoria, and in Sydney in legal and financial services.
He held posts as the Director of the HR Management Group at RMIT University in Melbourne, the HR Manager for the Sydney office of law firm Clayton Utz, national head of People and Development for law firm Minter Ellison, General Manager Human Resources (Corporate) with St George Bank Limited, and Head of Human Resources for the Oceania Region of the Japanese MUFG Bank.
He has now retired from active executive roles. He pursues a number charitable and philanthropic interests, including work with the St James’ Foundation. He has served in various roles within the Anglican Church, first at St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne and in the parish of Holy Trinity Kew and currently at St James’ King Street Sydney. He is a passionate Italophile, studying Italian language and culture both in Sydney and at various times in Italy, dabbles in drawing and painting, and enjoys swimming and jogging.
He is married to Katie.
Robert is a graduate of the University of Melbourne (Bachelor of Arts – Honours), undertook a business strategy for HR Leaders program at INSEAD, France, and is a Chartered Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.
Graham Smith - CEO
Graham has worked in retail, tourism, property development and farming. He was a member of the Parish Council with Rev'd (now Bishop) Richard Hurford in Coffs Harbour, has been a member of Bishop in Council, Diocese of Grafton, Chairman of the Diocesan Property and Finance committees and a member of the Diocesan Corporate Trustees.
He has been a member of the Coffs Harbour Shire Council, involved in Town Planning and Finance Committees and a term as deputy Mayor. Graham was Rector's Warden and treasurer at St James' for five years commencing with the appointment of now Bishop Richard Hurford, then Rector at St James.
He moved to Sydney in 1991 and owned a hotel in St John's Road Glebe, which he operated with his wife Marilyn for 7 years.
Following a request by the then Rector in 1998, Graham established the St James' Foundations, with the help of Graeme Bailey, who was able to acquire a copy of a trust deed from Victoria. This trust deed became the basis of the St James' Foundation Limited and the associated Foundations. The St James' Music Foundation is able to offer donors tax deductibility. The Foundations currently hold in excess of $4.2 million and have provided in excess of $4.8 million in support of the Parish Church of St James' King Street since the inception of the Foundations in 2000.
He has a long history of share trading experience and general investment.
Over the past nine years the St James' Foundation Limited has distributed the following amounts to St James' Church, King Street, Sydney:
2016 ……… $255,635
2017 ……… $230,270
2018 ……… $318,080
2019 ……… $411,150
2020 ……… $763,700
2021 ……… $827,070
2022 ……… $189,400
2023 ……… $799,285
2024 ......... $839,903 to date, giving a total distribution to the Parish since inception of $6.633 million.
$2.891 million has been raised, in Pledges and Receipts for the St James' Music Foundation Organ Restoration and Replacement Appeal.
Christine Bishop BSc (Hons), LLB, FAICD - Secretary
My introduction to St James’ Church King Street commenced at my christening many years ago. I have always loved music, particularly choral music and have sung in choirs practically all my life (currently Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). I know from experience that the Choir at St James’ is world class and I have been a supporter of the St James’ Foundation since its inception.
As a solicitor for many years and as a fellow of the Institute of Company Directors, I bring to The St James’ Foundation both my legal experience in commercial law and knowledge of corporate governance. I have served on the boards of several not-for-profit organisations, currently including Odyssey House, Consumer Advisory Panel for GI Cancer Institute and the Sydney Symphony Council.
I have been involved in voluntary organisations for many years and am currently a member of The Zonta Club of Sydney Inc.
The Right Reverend Richard Hurford, OAM, CStJ
Bishop Richard Hurford worked as a secondary school English and History teacher before being accepted as a candidate for ordination. He was ordained by the Bishop of Grafton and served as Precentor and Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral, Grafton in NSW.
He has had a wide and varied vocational life for the past 47 years of ordained life – including being a Parish Priest in city, provincial and country parishes. In addition he has served in School chaplaincy, Defence Force chaplaincy, Police chaplaincy, Prison chaplaincy and religious media. He has been a member of many community based organisations – serving also on their councils and boards. This service, largely in social welfare and social justice, was recognised by an award in the Order of Australia (OAM) on Australia Day 1999.
Bishop Hurford was awarded a scholarship for post graduate studies in Clinical Psychology and Theology in England, where he spent seven years. In this time he worked both as a Parish Priest and in a variety of Chaplaincies. He returned home to Australia to be Rector of the Parish of Coffs Harbour in NSW. He then became Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Grafton and following that, Rector of the historic St James’ Church King Street in the city of Sydney, before being consecrated as the 9th Bishop of Bathurst in 2001. He served the Diocese – which covers 20% of the area of NSW until his retirement on 6th November, 2012.
During the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney he was a co-ordinator of the Religious Services Centre in the Olympic Village for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Bishop Hurford served for three years as the President of the NSW Ecumenical Council, which is the peak State body representing fifteen Christian denominations. He was a member of the Anglican Defence Board, which cares for Army, Navy and Air Force chaplains throughout the Commonwealth, for nine years. He was the National Chairman of the Anglican Men’s Society in Australia from 2005 until 2011. He is a Fellow of St Paul’s College within the University of Sydney and has served as a member of its Council since 2001. He has been a regional Police Chaplain in the NSW Police Force since 1990 and was awarded the Police Commissioner’s Commendation for meritorious service in 2005. He was appointed the Australian Warden of the International Guild of Church Musicians in 2000 and a Vice-President of the International Guild in 2004.
He was a member of the Royal School of Church Music for many years, both in the UK and NSW.
He has seen voluntary service with St John Ambulance both in the UK and in Australia. In NSW he has served as the NSW State Chaplain since 2006. He is a Sub-Prelate for the Venerable Order of St John in the Priory of Australia and in 2009 was invested as a Commander in the Order of St John at Government House in Sydney.
Bishop Hurford and his wife Christine were married in 1969. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Robert Cameron JP
Rob Cameron was a Senior Investment Adviser with Shaw and Partners in the Sydney CBD having worked in the Securities Industry for over 50 years and has been a member of the Australian Stock Exchange. Rob is a J.P. in NSW, an affiliate of the The Financial Services Institute Of Australia (Finsia)and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Past management roles have included Director of Frank Renouf Brokers Pty Ltd and Managing Director of Auspac Securities, two companies listed on the NSX and founding Director and part owner of Cameron Stockbrokers Ltd. Rob has always aimed for the highest Christian morals and values in all aspects of his business dealings. His extensive board experience has involved compliance roles and positions of trust managing client assets within senior management teams.
Gregory West CA
Greg is a Charted Accountant with experience as a non executive director, Company Secretary & CFO.
He is currently a director and audit committee chairman of UOWD Limited (the business arm of Wollongong University – 800 staff & $300 million turnover), IDP Education Pty Limited (the largest global recruiter of foreign students & English language competency testing – 1500 staff, 40 countries, 100 branches & $300 million turnover and a ASX 200 company & Education Australia Limited.
Over recent years he has provided CFO services to listed and unlisted biotech companies on Capital raising, ASX compliance, risk and assurance, financial evaluations governance, together with accounting finance matters. He is a director & the audit committee chairman of a number of University related businesses. He has specialised in advising & working in the Biotech sector, higher education, government, investment banking with Bankers Trust, Bain & Co (now Deutsche Bank) & has been CFO of the largest Australian Credit Union, now called CUA.
Gregory is married to Annie and they have a daughter Millie, they live in Lane Cove.
Treasurer
Marilyn Smith BSc - Treasurer
Marilyn started her working life in computers at AMP and then Prospect County Council, where she trained as a programmer. After marrying and moving to the country, Marilyn undertook a BSc, majoring in Mathematics by correspondence, whilst raising her children.
Marilyn re-joined the workforce in 1989 working in both computers and accounting, when she was a consultant in office administration and software support for Australia’s then second largest automotive software developer. Since then, Marilyn has run the administration of a hotel owned with her husband, Graham, spent five years working as the accountant for St James’, in the Parish office and then thirteen years as the 2IC to the financial controller of one of Australia’s largest meat exporters, with a turnover of in excess of $1 billion annually. Whilst there, Marilyn organized the installation of a new totally integrated computer system, which controlled all the company’s processes. Marilyn also set up a new organic meat division of the company, later on splitting it off as a separate company and becoming the accountant for that new company. Marilyn retired from the company in 2014.
Marilyn has been involved in voluntary work for most of her life, from her time in the Girl Guides, when she became a Queens Guide, through being treasurer of various organisations during her children’s growing years to joining the Zonta Club of Sydney, being treasurer for four years and then president for two years. She has just completed four years as treasurer for the Zonta District for New South Wales and ACT.
Marilyn’s life in the Anglican Church began in her youth at St John’s Parramatta. On moving to the New South Wales north coast, Marilyn joined All Saints Church, Murwillumbah, where she was a parish councillor and treasurer. Marilyn was also a diocesan synod representative, a member of Bishop in Council of the Diocese of Grafton and also member of the diocesan finance committee.