Dan Ryan

I've been CEO at Scouts SA now for just on 17 years.

In that time we've grown our turnover by almost a million dollars every year over the last 15 years (from 6m to just under $30m). We employ over 140 staff and workers and our membership base (boys, girls and Leaders) is around 7,000 members and growing by 3 to 5% pa. I enjoy having the very best team around me - which has been the pivotal reason for these achievements. I believe that retaining the best staff brings superior outcomes to any organisation...

We recently purchased the 'Adelaide Arena' (our NBL Basketball Stadium) for Scouts SA resulting in our half ownership with 'Church Basketball SA'. This is the the home of the Adelaide 36ers and will provide Scouting with a National-standard venue to use, with strong Capital growth, and in time, another regular income stream. I am a founding member of the board of management for the Adelaide Arena. We also run Recycling business in South Australia to support the youth program and the growth of Scouting in our State. In the last 6 months we have embarked on a 'technology and modernisation program' which we believe will double Scouts SA turnover in 5 years.

Previous to my role at Scouts SA, I held the role of Chief of Staff to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services (The Hon Wayne Mathew) and later to the Hon Dorothy Kotz.

Before those political appointments I served as an Army Officer in the Australian Defence Force for 21 years - reaching the rank of LTCOL. Highlights: Serving in Iraq/Iran UN Peacekeeping Mission; winning the Chief of Air Staff's prize at the RAAF Staff College and receiving a formal 'commendation' from the Chief of the Defence Force for our work on missions for the United Nations...