Facilities Manager Mark White has been chosen the first nominee of the first Dean Moore Award – a Sydney Swans staff counterpart of the team’s Best Clubman.

The announcement was delivered by CEO Tom Harley last Friday, May 31 at a club-wide meeting, after White was nominated by his colleagues for his hard work ethic and genuine commitment for supporting everyone at the club.

Speaking to Sydney Swans Media, White stated his heartfelt thanks for earning the nomination.

“I couldn’t believe it, firstly, I was honoured,” White remarked. “I try to work hard and set an example and I think I do that. I felt happy to be acknowledged.”

White joined the Sydney Swans exactly 12 months ago with the launch of the Basil Sellers Richard Colless Centre in January. The nomination is a testament to his early effect at the club across all areas.

The facilities staff works with all facets of the business, including operations, membership and the high-performance football programs. Senior coach John Longmire voiced his support for White following the news.

 

“The leadership group were in discussion this week and praised Mark’s work ethic. They answered, ‘We’ve never seen him sit down’.”

– John Longmire

White adds 23 years of expertise to the club after an extended time with Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, in Sydney’s lower North Shore. As operations manager, White led a maintenance and facilities staff handling day-to-day logistics and operations of events and school needs. This included boarding, athletics and education.

“It’s a school with 1,560 students, Year 5 to 12, and 110 acres of grounds,” White recalled.

“I’d been there a long time and living on site had been wonderful, but it had become more difficult. We wanted to have the challenge where we would live off-site.”

White revealed he’d applied for numerous opportunities but had his heart set on the Swans.

“Look, everyone says this, but I’ve always loved sport and for the chance to be in a professional environment, it’s next level.

“I just knew what a great organisation and what a successful team [the Swans] were and how successful the move from South Melbourne had become.”

To be presented annually at the Sydney Swans’ AFLW Club Champion Dinner, the Dean Moore accolade is a peer nominated accolade that will recognise a Sydney Swans staff member who has best personified the club’s principles of respect, discipline, courage, and conviction.

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