Dr Les Baxter appointed Acting CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

Following a recount in the electorate of Bass, in which the St Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO, Lara Alexander was elected to the Tasmanian Parliament, Dr Les Baxter has been appointed as the Acting CEO of the Society. Dr Baxter has been working with the Society in advisory role since 2019 as Chair of its Governance Committee and more recently, as Chief Operations Officer.

The State President of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Mr Mark Gaetani, said that he was confident that the appointment of Dr Baxter to the role of Acting CEO would see a seamless continuation of services and engagement while the process to identify a new CEO takes place.

“Dr Baxter has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the not-for-profit and compliance sectors; and has worked closely with the executive and State Council for the past three years,” Mr Gaetani said.

“I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the whole St Vincent de Paul Society, to thank Lara Alexander for her three-and-a-half years of service. During this time the Society enjoyed:

• A long period of sustainable growth;
• The introduction of exciting, new ongoing projects and services to support our companions and those who are vulnerable in our communities: and
• A rise in the organisation’s profile, as a peak charity in Tasmania, which assists us to deliver the Mission of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

“The Society wishes Mrs Alexander well for this next stage of her career. It is looking forward to continuing a strong working relationship with her and the Tasmanian Government as she assumes her new role as a Member for Bass in the House of Assembly,” Mr Gaetani added.

Dr Baxter said that it is a privilege to be asked to lead the St Vincent de Paul Society as Acting CEO and that it had been made clear to him that the State Council wanted the organisation to continue to move forward with the initiatives introduced by Mrs Alexander.

“The Society is always a busy and dynamic organisation. We are currently planning the Vinnies Winter Appeal and our Community Sleepout event. The Society’s fundraising activities assist hundreds of Tasmanians in need, so it is critical that this work continues. We are also working to build capacity in our Special Works around Tasmania, finalise the regulatory requirements to break ground on the 20 affordable homes development in Smithton, while preparing for the introduction of the Container Refund Scheme sometime in the next 12 months,” Dr Baxter said.

“There is no shortage of needs to be met or projects to manage at the St Vincent de Paul Society, but thankfully Lara Alexander left the organisation in a great position to complete all of the initiatives; and we have a terrific team of staff, members, and volunteers who are up for the challenge. Of course, we cannot forget our hundreds of donors who are critical to our success,” Dr Baxter added.

Dr Baxter holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from Southern Cross University and a Master of Applied Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Adelaide University. He completed his PhD at the University of Canberra. His research considered the social processes associated with the establishment of public-private alliance in international development programs. He is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders. Dr Baxter has held several board positions with companies and not-for-profit entities. He was born in Tasmania and after pursuing an international career, now resides in Launceston with his wife Barbara. They have three adult children.

_{MEDIA NOTES: The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in Paris, France in 1833 by a 20-year old Italian student, Frederic Ozanam. Today, the Society operates in 153 countries and has over 800,000 members. Australia has over 60,000 members, dedicated to assisting people in need and combating social injustice. The Society started in Tasmania in 1899 when founders established a Conference in Launceston. From humble beginnings, the Society has grown to 25 Conferences within three Regional Councils across Tasmania. Each Conference undertake a variety of good works, the most recognised being the traditional Vincentian home visits and the annual CEO Sleep-out to draw attention to homelessness.}

_{Media contact, Mark Wells: +61 414 015 966 (24-hours)
© St Vincent de Paul Society and MWPA.}