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The Chairman of Hume Building Society Ltd, Mr. Ulf Ericson, announces that Mr. John Knobel, Director and former Deputy Chairman of the Society will retire from the Board at the conclusion of the Society’s Board meeting on Thursday, 16th April and congratulates him most sincerely for his commitment and service over many years.
Mr. Knobel has been involved with the Society since its inception and before joining the Board he assisted in the annual audit of the Society while employed by Bunton Zerbst & Wighton. Mr. Knobel was elected as a Director of the Society at the Annual General Meeting on 26th June 1975 and attended his first meeting on Saturday, 12th July 1975. At that time Mr. B.W. Esler was Chairman of the Board and Mr. D.J. Russell Deputy Chairman.
He was elected as Deputy Chairman on 24th June 1985 and held that position until 20th November 2008. From November 1997 until 25th August 1998, John ably undertook the role of Acting Chairman due to the illness and subsequent death of Mr. B.W. Esler. John also served as a member of the Audit Committee from August 1996 until his retirement, where his skills as a Certified Practising Accountant were appreciated.
John has witnessed considerable change over the years in business, regulation, legislation, the global economy and within the Society. Interestingly, in the minutes of John’s first Society Board Meeting there was reference to a “credit squeeze” and that “short term interest rates [were] pointing to a downturn in the market”. Therefore, Mr. Knobel is no stranger to the recent economic events.
There was also reference to the need to streamline operations and that “machines [should be] acquired to perform certain tasks more effectively”. In fact it was resolved at that meeting that an in-house computer from NCR (the Society’s first) should be purchased.
At that time, and indeed for many years to follow, all loan applications were approved by the Board. Among the advances approved at his first meeting were loans for 4 new homes, at an average cost of $23,000 (all in NSW) and 29 existing homes at an average cost of $20,538 (23 in NSW and 6 in VIC). Interest Rates were 10.5% per annum and the Society’s gross assets stood at $24,135,397.
John has recently retired from his accounting practice in Lavington. Together with his wife, Genevieve, and sons, Eryn and Adrian, he runs a farm in Gerogery and is an active supporter of his local community.
His presence at Society social functions will be greatly missed.
Hume Chairman, Ulf Ericson, notes that two Directors, Denise Osborne and Stuart Gilchrist, were appointed on the retirement of Les Boyes in March 2007 and the Board will revert to 7 Directors on Mr. Knobel’s retirement.
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