Two Great Servants of St Virgil's College 

(from left) Michael Sylvester (SVC 1991-94 & current Advisory Council member), Andrew Mazengarb (Chair SVC Advisory Council), Dr Craig Wattam (Executive Director of EREA), Principal Damian Messer and Chris Wright ( Deputy Chair Advisory Council) 

Andrew Mazengarb 

In 2012 Andrew Mazengarb (SVC 1976-83) was invited to become a member of the St Virgil’s College Board – now called the College Advisory Council and he has been its Chair since 2014.

Andrew is married to Sandra, who is the Director of Early Learning Years at the Junior Campus of the College. They have had three boys Jack, William and Max who have attended St Virgil’s and a daughter Sarah who attended St Mary’s College. Jack is currently in his last year of studying his Batchelor of Education degree to become a PE Teacher, whilst William has recently graduated from the police academy and is currently a serving probationary constable. Max has just completed his first year of studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree. Sarah has completed a Bachelor of Science Degree and is now studying part time for her Masters of Education. 

The three boys are the fourth generation associated with the College. The brother of Andrew’s maternal grandmother, Lyndon Lowe, was a former student. Andrew’s father, John (SVC 1948-54), married Grace Lowe (a cousin of Doug). John was a former President of the Federation of Parents & Friends of Catholic Schools. He was also a member of the Catholic Advisory Council and Education (parents representative), a member of the State Priorities Committee - Non-Government Schools and a Member of the Board of Trustees for Systemic Schools. Until recently he also served on the Board of Southern Cross Care where he had significant involvement in their capital works programmes, particularly with the developments at Glenarra Lakes and Fairway Rise.

John’s two brothers are also former students. Michael (SVC 1957-66 ) generously provided many years of service on the Boards of Calvary Hospital and also Southern Cross Care and Kidsafe Tasmania. David (SVC 1953-59) served as a Brother in the Passionate order, in his younger years in the Catholic missions in New Guinea then working on the order’s rural farms within Australia. 

Andrew is the third son of John and Grace.  Older brothers John (Jnr.) and David also attended  the College.  John (SVC 1979-78) is Trustee Director, Chair Finance Audit and Compliance Committee at Spirit Super and is the current Chair of the Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission.  David (SVC 1971-79) is the Managing Director of  DDMI Consulting Pty Ltd and  serves on several committees within the community.

Andrew proved to be a very capable student during his passage through St Virgil’s and his major co-curricular involvements were with the Cadet Unit and Rugby Union.  He rose to attain the highest rank achievable at the time for a cadet, that of Warrant Officer First Class. Cadet Under Officer rank was not made available to students at the time. He continued his Rugby pursuits with the Glenorchy and Devonport clubs upon leaving school.

Andrew began his ]working lifer with Perpetual Trustees Tasmania Limited. Although an office-based job in the finance and trustee industry is not what he had planned, he found the work interesting and rewarding and pursued his academic studies in his own time by doing six years of night classes at TAFE from which he obtained a Diploma in Banking and Finance and a Diploma in Business Management.

After twelve years in management roles with Perpetual Trustees, Andrew moved to Department of Treasury and Finance within the Tasmanian Government. That was sixteen years ago and for the past eight years has been a Team Leader.

Andrew was a member of the Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission for three years, Along the way he has served as Vice President of the Clarence Football Club and Secretary and Treasurer of the Devonport Rugby Union Club. He also had a lead role in the Pembroke Park Sporting Clubs Consultative Group that was successful in obtaining $1.2 million in grant funding under the Regional Development Australia programme for the installation of new sporting and recreational facilities at Pembroke Park, including the installation of contemporary sports lighting to both the junior and senior football/cricket ovals, construction of new change rooms and two new soccer fields.

Andrew has always been passionate about the College's return to being a Catholic school for boys to Year 12 and has been involved in countless meetings and report writing processes to bring this vision to reality. Under his leadership St Virgil's will become a Kindergarten to Year 12 school from 2024 and will the state's largest boys' school. 

Chris Wright 

Chris Wright (SVC 1966-73) has been on the St Virgil’s Building Committee since 2003,and chaired it since 2005.  A visit to either campus of the College would be the cause of amazement as to the number of new buildings and renovations that have taken place during this period.  Chris’ contributions to these projects have been enormous and ensured students and staff enjoy first class learning and teaching facilities. His sage and practical advice has ensured that projects have been delivered on time and often under budget. 

Furthermore, Chris has been on the St Virgil’s College Advisory Council since 2005 and has held the position of Deputy Chair since 2009. 

Chris Wright was born in Hobart in 1955 to Geoff (SVC 1945-48), and Margaret  (nee Bresnehan) (SMC 1942-45)  - the  Wright and the Bresnehan families have had a very long and distinguished association with the College.

The family moved up to Rosebery on the West Coast in 1960 where Chris and his two sisters, Jill and Helen, attended  St Joseph’s Primary school.  Margaret’s cousin, Fr Tom Bresnehan  (SVC 1943-46),   was the parish priest there at the time. 

The family moved back to the family home in Lindisfarne in 1966 and Chris commenced his personal association with St Virgil’s as a Grade 5 student at Barrack Street - an association that is very much in evidence to this day.

Chris proved to be an above average student and athlete and he represented the College in several sports  Of particular note was his membership in the First XVIII premiership side in 1972 & 1973 – sides coached by former Melbourne FC champion, Stewart Spencer.  Chris‘ father, Geoff, and 'Stuie' had played football together at Clarence, where Geoff was later awarded life membership.  Later the two were to work together at Greens Transport.

Upon leaving the College Chris joined Ray Taylor Refrigeration and Air Conditioning in 1974 as a cadet engineer, moved to Featherby Kingston Consulting Engineers in 1979 before returning to air conditioning contracting with TCM in 1982.  By 1987 Chris was a Director of TCM with founder Angus MacLeod. Chris is well respected within the industry and has worked on a wide variety of landmark projects including the Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart Police HQ, Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, CSIRO and the Lands Building, just to name a few. 

Chris became heavily involved in AMCA (Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors Association) at a state level from 1987, including being President in 2011-12 and was on the National Board of AMCA during this time. Chris achieved NEBB Certification 1992 and have been actively involved since 2004 at a National and International Level. (NEBB is the premier international certifying association for firms and individuals that deliver high performance buildings and systems.)

Chris played football with the OVA through the 1970s and early 80s  and had a short stint with the OVA Cricket club,  along with plenty of local basketball and underwater hockey with old school mates. 

Chris has three children Matthew (SVC 1993-96), Sally and Lauren, and two step-sons, Aaron Clark (SVC 2001-04) and Dion Clark (SVC 2005-08).

Chris always loved being involved with his children’s schooling activities and took on numerous roles including primary school cricket coach, Bellerive Bombers Junior football club committee for six years, St Virgil’s Saints Football Club Committee 2001 until AFL Tas shut down school football down in 2008 (in Chris' opinion this decision had a huge impact on local footy) and served as a Board member of the Hobart Football Club from 2004 to 2016. Chris was awarded Life Membership of the Tigers in 2017.

Andrew and Chris are proud Old Virgilians who has contributed enormously to the College and wider community.