None are more qualified to assess former Cardinia chief executive Carol Jeffs’ trials, tribulations and triumphs over her six-and-a-half-year tenure than Cathy Douglas, her executive assistant over that time.
At a farewell afternoon tea last week, Cathy spoke about Carol’s capacity to remain calm and composed under pressure, which was put to the test early on as she negotiated the ramifications and recovery of the Bunyip Complex bushfires in 2019.
Then, after that literal baptism of fire, came the Covid-19 pandemic and major storm events in the Hills.
On a personal front, Carol negotiated a divorce, six house moves, wrote a book and got married again while at the helm.
Cathy joked that her boss entered the job as a non-coffee drinking vegan and left as a latte-sipping carnivore.
“One of Carol’s most remarkable attributes was her ability to remain calm and composed under immense pressure,” she said.
“She was always caring about staff wellbeing while ensuring they continued to serve the community, never putting herself first.”
Cathy said she was continually amazed at Carol’s capacity to not only embrace the challenges of the role, but put her hand up to wear many other hats outside of the Cardinia boundary, despite having little room in her diary.
She earned the nickname of ‘5-10’, because when often running late for meetings, the standard answer to questions about her whereabouts were that she’s be the in five to 10 minutes.
A test of her leadership style came one day when she was scheduled to address a gathering of senior leaders at Holm Park in Beaconsfield and got stuck in the lift, without her phone and handbag.
She typically remained calm and calculated an escape, finally making the meeting only 5-10 late!
Mayor Jack Kowarzik also spoke of Carol’s incredible capacity to be calm under pressure and quoted a Gazette article at the time of the Bunyip fires where she said: “It’s a case of all hands on deck and that includes me”.
He also recalled her offering to walk in the shoes of employees in her first 100 days of office and gained first-hand experience in 20 roles during that time, including a five-hour stint in a garbage truck.
Colleague Peter Benazic, who steps in as interim CEO, said Carol performed the role with integrity, compassion and bold strength.
He said she listened more than she spoke and when she did speak it carried a lot of weight.
“You leave us not at the end of something but at the edge of what you’ve helped create,” he said.
Cardinia Community Foundation chairman Paul Thomas spoke on the impact Carol had as a director of the local charity.
He said she had been the prime mover in mobilising the foundation to become a conduit between donors and those in need of assistance during the bushfire emergency.
Carol also led a transformation of the foundation to a model of collective giving and forming partnerships with local businesses.
“She rolled her sleeves up and decided to drive change and set up the foundation as a sustainable fund for the future,” he said.
“She went out and found new directors and drove the strategy to set the basis for a community foundation to support the Cardinia community for decades ahead.”
Workplace Giving forms were handed around the room for staff to pledge come of their wage to the foundation.
“She’s still trying to make a difference, even as she walks out the door,” MC and close friend Tom McQualter remarked.
