Cottage by the Sea has a Board of Management who oversee the operations. All of the members kindly volunteer their time, skills and knowledge to help steer the organisation in the right direction
Don Rankin – President
Don is a chartered accountant and was a founding partner of Pitcher Partners. He has a long history advising middle market businesses. Don sits on the Advisory Boards of a number of larger private family businesses, the Board of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Board of a company listed on the ASX. Don and his wife Megan have had a house at Pt Lonsdale for almost 40 years and spend as much time as possible there.
Scott Chapman – Vice President
Scott has held the position of Chief Executive of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria since 2010, and has a lifelong involvement in outdoors and camps during his exciting professional and voluntary career. Scott currently holds the position of Chairman for Doutta Galla Aged Services, is Deputy Chairman of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and heads the Committee for Melbourne Not for Profit Taskforce. He also sits on the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board. Scott and his partner Jacqui ‘s favourite part of the world is Point Lonsdale, where they have a holiday home.
Jerome Walsh – Treasurer
Jerome is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of FINSIA with over 20 years in the finance industry. He has experience in leveraged and corporate financing across a variety of industries. Having spent almost a decade in the Corporate Banking sector with National Australia Bank, Jerome recently commenced with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to lead their Client Acquisition team in Victoria for Commercial Banking and Major Client Group. He is married to his wife Alison whom enjoy the company of their adult children.
Dennis Smart
Dennis has an honours degree in Chemical Engineering Science and throughout his career gained technical, engineering, production and marketing experience, with the last 30 years as a Managing Director of the Woods Auto Group. Now retired, Dennis and his wife Sue are spending more time involved with their 5 young grandchildren, travelling and enjoying their Queenscliff beach house and the local community.
Michael Randall OAM
Michael has been in the securities industry for over 30 years. Michael is a founding Director of the Financial Services Foundation which has helped raise substantial funds for children’s charities, with the Cottage as a major beneficiary. Michael is also on the board of Variety Victoria which he has been for several years. He is married to Nikki Coghill and they have two daughters. Michael has been on the Cottage Board since 1996.
Natalie Hickey
Natalie is a barrister at the Victorian Bar specialising in commercial law and intellectual property. She was formerly the partner of an international law firm. On the Cottage Board for over 16 years, Natalie is delighted to give something back to a community that means a great deal to her. She is an ‘alumni’ of Pt Lonsdale Primary School.
Priscilla Seyfort
Priscilla’s entire professional and academic life has focused on the wellbeing and interests of children. She has the extensive practical and policy-related experience, particularly in relation to working with disadvantaged children and families, and considerable experience on not-for-profit boards. Priscilla has a PhD from the University of Melbourne. Priscilla holidayed at Queenscliff as a child, and she and her husband, Anthony, own a house in Queenscliff where they enjoy holidays with their four children.
Liam Petrie-Allbutt
Liam is the managing director of Studio All, a bespoke design house founded in Melbourne, with a strong presence in Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and now Sydney. Liam is an award-winning designer who consults on large scale projects providing design and engineering solutions across various industries. Liam was raised on the Bellarine and has strong ties to the local community. For the past nine years he has been actively involved in executive committee roles at the Point Lonsdale SLSC running the Rip View Swim Classic and directed the swim in 2019-2021. Liam was the Borough of Queenscliffe’s Young Citizen of the Year in 2016. Point Lonsdale is home for Liam and he is thrilled to be on the board of the Cottage By The Sea.
