Brian Singer is best known locally as one of the two founder-owners of international surfing company Rip Curl, based in Torquay since 1967 when Brian and Doug Warbrick started the company.

Through their business, Brian and Doug have actively supported a broad variety of local community activities and groups over the past four decades including the kindergartens and schools, coast action groups, surf lifesaving, football and netball clubs among others.

Now a director of Rip Curl (rather than working in the business full-time), Brian is a Bells Beach resident when he’s not travelling – one of his favourite pastimes. He’s also an avid surfer and snow-skier, a die-hard Geelong Cats supporter and one of a very small number of people to have successfully climbed Mount Vinson, the Antarctic’s highest peak.

Dean has a background in agriculture and has worked in Western Victoria, remote outback Australia and Northern Ireland. He has worked on large land care and water saving projects in the Great Artesian Basin and provided skills training for the unemployed and the Aboriginal community.

Dean has travelled extensively throughout Asia, researching regional development and aid projects and facilitating trade and investment opportunities. He is now a self-employed beef producer and fire prevention contractor.

Dean was a member of the Surf Coast Shire’s planning committee for 10 years and is currently deputy-chair of Surf Coast Energy Group. He was elected to the Surf Coast Council in 2004, served as Mayor in 2007/2008 and was re-elected in November, 2008.

Dean is an outspoken advocate of alternative energy and water saving projects, a reduced carbon footprint, appropriate, sustainable, strategic land use planning and regional tourism.

Michael has been participating in community groups for almost 30 years, particularly community legal centres.

He says he discovered early on in his career that professional groups can often be closed and aloof and reluctant to share the knowledge their members possess. By being involved in community groups like the Torquay Community Enterprise (TCE), he plans to use the skills and knowledge that he can offer for the benefit of others in the local area.

Michael believes the TCE is a fantastic grassroots means for the Bendigo Bank to form working relationships with the local community to the benefit of all participants in the initiative.

Michael is a father of four boys and has an established legal practice in Geelong.

Laura Connor is the Co-Ordinator of the Spring Creek Community House in Torquay and has been in the position for thirteen years. Laura is also a Committee Member of Torquay Food Aid, the Editor of Springboard Community Newsletter, Chairperson of the Surf Coast Rural Australians for Refugees and a member of the Surf Coast Network of Neighbourhood Houses and the Barwon Network of Neighbourhood Houses.

Laura’s other community commitments include the role of co-founder and founding President of the Surf Coast Life Activities Club and her work as co-founder and founding President of the Danawa Community Garden at Spring Creek Reserve.

Laura’s passion is to see community groups working together to create vibrant and diverse local communities.

Rose Hodge is a Councillor with the Surf Coast Shire and a five time Mayor. She was elected as a Councillor in 2004 and is now serving her fifth term.

Rose has had an association with the Torquay and Jan Juc area for over 50 years. A former dental therapist, she is now a partner in a bricklaying business with her husband. They have three sons.

One of her boys is autistic and she is passionate about creating opportunities for people with disabilities.
Rose serves on the Board of Gateways Support Services. She has been president of the Jan Juc Kindergarten, a committee member of the Torquay Cricket Club and the Spring Creek Community House and she is a life member of the Torquay Netball Club.

She loves contributing to a robust, connected community and appreciates the work volunteers do through organisations such as the Bendigo Bank’s Torquay Community Enterprise.