In honour of John Coombs
I’m saddened to let you know of the passing of former Chair of Unity Bank, John Coombs, following a long illness.
As Chair, John led the organisation from 1992 to 2010 and served a total of 27 years as a director. During his time, he oversaw our transformation from Waterside Workers of Australia Credit Union to Maritime Mining and Power Credit Union following our first ever merger in 2008. A man of foresight, the decision to broaden our membership (initially to the Mining division of the CFMEU and others later on) set us up on the path to the tremendous growth we experienced during his tenure and positioned us as one of the leaders in the mutual industry. His dedication to the wellbeing of members and staff was unwavering as was his energy in ensuring we continued to make the necessary changes to adapt to the emerging needs of our members.
A legend of the maritime industry and the broader union movement, he will be remembered for his courage, tenacity and leadership. We honour and remember him for the man he was. May he rest in peace.
Mick Doleman
Chair
