Greater Shepparton City Council has announced the appointment of Fiona Le Gassick as the new Chief Executive Officer for the organisation. The appointment of Ms Le Gassick was endorsed at a Council Meeting on Tuesday 28 November 2023.
For the past two years Ms Le Gassick has been employed at Tasmania's largest registered training organisation, as the Director Future Students and Industry. During this time she has also been acting CEO on several occasions and was recently appointed acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) for a four-month period.
Prior to joining TasTAFE, Ms Le Gassick worked at Greater Shepparton City Council for close to 10 years in a range of roles at a management and director level and oversaw key initiatives such as Greater Shepparton Great Things Happen Here regional development strategy, Shepp Square / Federation Square showcase, the Greater Victoria Commonwealth Games Prefeasibility Project.
Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali congratulated Ms Le Gassick on the appointment which he said would ensure Greater Shepparton continued to grow and prosper.
"Selecting a CEO is an important task under the Local Government Act and we wanted a leader with a strong vision for the future of our region," he said. "We chose a CEO that understands the unique challenges of this region and can take us to the next level of economic growth and opportunity."
"Ms Le Gassick is an innovative professional with a proven track record in creative strategies to grow the economic profile of Greater Shepparton. The Great Things Happen Here campaign put Greater Shepparton on the map, nationally and internationally. The programs Fiona developed included sponsoring Nitro Athletics, taking Greater Shepparton produce to Parliament House, a two week event in Federation Square and setting up a Careers and Lifestyle campaign to encourage people to relocate to Greater Shepparton."
"Ms Le Gassick is well known in this area with strong ties and commitment to our region," said Cr Sali. "She has excellent corporate knowledge, great experience in local government and tertiary education and is well credentialed for this role."
"The councillors and I look forward to working with Ms Le Gassick in the future to help shape the direction for our municipality."
"I am truly excited to be returning home to undertake a role of such significance" explains Ms Le Gassick. "I look forward to reconnecting with the Councillors, Council staff, local businesses and the community as we continue to strengthen all that Greater Shepparton has to offer. It is a privilege to be selected as the next Chief Executive Officer of Greater Shepparton City Council, and I appreciate the faith of the Councillors in being able to lead Greater Shepparton into the future."
"Being a long-term and active champion of Greater Shepparton, I have a first-hand understanding of the uniqueness, strengths and opportunities for growth at both an organisational and community level. As CEO, I will continue to work collaboratively to deliver outcomes that support the communities of Greater Shepparton and broader region."
Ms Le Gassick will commence her appointment as CEO from 15 January 2024.
Current CEO Peter Harriott intends to stay in the role until 4 January 2024. An acknowledgement of Peter's service and commitment to Greater Shepparton will occur.
