New Members of The Old Virgilians Committee

The Association is hopeful of naming a new Treasurer to replace Michael Harvey in the very near future The Old Virgilians Association Committee currently consists of David Mazengarb (President), Bruce Woods (Vice President), Graeme Rainbow (Secretary), with Paul Boutchard, Corey Bygraves, Neil Gibson, Alan Robertson and Chris Wright (committee members). The brief profiles of the new members Neil and Alan are as follows:

Neil Gibson (SVC 1997-2000) joins the committee following a long association with affiliate bodies. In 2005, he joined the St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football Club as a player and went on to play 160 games. He has served as a committee member of the St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football Club for the past 14 years, including stints as President, Secretary, and Treasurer (current role). Neil has also been a committee member of the St Virgil’s Old Scholars Cricket Club from 2017 to 2023, where he served as President from 2018 to 2023. For the last two years, he has been Vice President of the Southern Cricket Association. At the launch of the 2021 Old Scholars Football Association, Neil was awarded Honorary Life Membership for his service to the club and the association. Neil has a Business degree from UTAS and is currently employed with Aurora Energy as a Design and Delivery Analyst.

Alan Robertson OAM, CSM, RFD, JP was born in Hobart and educated at St Virgil’s College from 1954 to 1960, the Hobart TAFE, and the University of NSW. He enlisted in the RAAF in 1963 and was commissioned in May 1970, serving at RAAF Support Unit Hobart and as a Staff Officer to the Senior Air Force Officer Tasmania. He was a foundation member and the first Executive Officer of No. 29 (City of Hobart) Combat Support Squadron and served as the Temporary Commanding Officer on a number of occasions. He has completed several military attachments and completed the Senior Officer Staff College Course at the RAAF School of Post Graduate Studies in Wagga, NSW. In July 2006, he transferred to the Reserve Staff Group as the Staff Officer Protocol and Projects, working for Air Force HQ in Canberra. He transferred to the Inactive List in August 2009 after a total of 46 years of service.

In August 1997, he was appointed as the RAAF ADC to the Governor of Tasmania, serving four Governors. He left Government House in August 2009, having served a total of 12 years. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) in 1994 for services to the RAAF, and in 2017, he was awarded an OAM for service to the RAAF, Government House Tasmania, Veterans, and the Defence Community. He has been a Justice of the Peace for the State of Tasmania since 1987.

Alan is a Past President of the Anglesea Barracks Officers Mess and Past State President of the RAAF Association Tasmania Division, and he was a National Director on the Board of the RAAF Association Australia Ltd. He has served since 2010 as the State Chairman of the Department of Veteran Affairs Training Information Program. In August 2015, he became the Deputy Regional Chairman for the Victoria/Tasmania Region, Advocacy Training and Development Program (ATDP), until completing his term in December 2019.

In 2024, Alan joined the Committee of the Old Virgilians Association. He has been married to Pam for 56 years.