Bill Walsh has been an enthusiastic and dedicated supporter of the CEFPI ideals since becoming a CEFPI member in 2002, and participation that year in the CEFPI international conference in Phoenix Arizona and later at the San Diego conference. Bill’s unflagging hard work and generosity of time have been an inspirational influence on his CEFPI colleagues and in the development of quality learning facilities in NSW Catholic schools.

Following that initial Phoenix conference Bill became actively involved with the developing Australian Chapter. Bill has participated in all Australasian annual conferences since 2002, making formal presentations at many of those conferences, including the recent 2012 conference on the Gold Coast.

Bill was a foundation member of the NSW Chapter which was established in August 2006. He served as its first Secretary and wrote, published and printed the initial NSW Chapter Newsletter in October 2006 and continued that role into 2008. He was one of the three presenters at the first NSW Chapter CEFPI Seminar held 23 November 2006.

Bill was a member of the organising committee for both of the Regional CEFPI conferences held in Sydney in 2005 and 2011. Because of limited funding in the early days of CEFPI, the first Sydney conference was fully organised by the voluntary committee without the professional conference arrangement support that has subsequently followed.

Bill became a foundation member of the (then) Australasian Board when it was established in 2005 and was actively involved in promoting and confirming the Board’s operations. Bill continued on the national Board until he reluctantly resigned in mid 2009 due to the advent of the Commonwealth government BER Program and the responsibilities of his role in managing a $1.1 billion BER operation across NSW Catholic schools.

In his both senior Director role in NSW Catholic education and nationally Bill was influential in promoting the participation of Catholic school personnel, especially those involved in facilities provision, into CEFPI activities at Chapter level and at annual conferences. Catholic sector participation in CEFPI has been a major support to the Australasian region. Bill also used his senior role to provide material support to the NSW Chapter to help it get it on its feet and become financially viable.

Bill’s immediate colleagues share his strong belief that the advent of CEFPI in Australia and the growing involvement of Catholic school personnel have had a major influence on school design and architecture and the essential links to learning. The BER Program in the Catholic sector nationally benefitted substantially from the understandings key personnel had gained from CEFPI in previous years.

Bill has remained active and influential on the Chapter Executive until his retirement from full-time work and move from Sydney in mid-2012. While Bill will be missed by those remaining to carry on the CEFPI mission and in Catholic education, there is no doubt that he will never be forgotten. Indeed, we expect to see Bill continuing his special work in his unique style in a range of part-time roles in education.

Positions held:

• Became a CEFPI member in 2001
• Attended CEFPI conference in Phoenix, Arizona, September 2002
• Foundation member of the Australasian Board until 2009
• Foundation member of the NSW Chapter Board from 2006 to 2012
• Secretary of NSW Chapter Board from 2006 to 2010
• Member of the Organising Committee for the two Sydney Regional Conferences in 2005 and 2011