President David Harrison, Property Council Directors, CEO Ken Morrison and members. You honour our family and Jim’s belief in the PCA in inducting him to the Australian Property Hall of Fame tonight. Let me thank long time friends Peter Verwer and Michael Zorbas who the family are sure had much to do with tonight’s honour.
Our thanks to the PCA for inviting past ACT Division Executive Directors Romilly Madew, Jen Cunich and Catherine Carter and to the many ACT members here tonight to recognise Jim.
Were he here, Jim would likely be hand writing a note to Ken saying there are many more deserving potential inductees as was his naturally modest way.
The tributes in the video introduction were generous to say the least, heartfelt thanks for them.
Throughout his life attention to detail, fulfilling commitment, strength of principle and tradition were core themes that guided him, helped us as a family and we are told were an inspiration to many that came into contact with him.
He could at times be slightly inflexible and impatient even with the benefit of robust debate. I well remember he immediately resigned a member of the Commonwealth Club the day they banned smoking.
He was sought out by government and the private sector, large and small to lead challenging tasks, project delivery, regulatory and industry reform and to lead companies. Jim often found it hard to say no however witnessing firsthand when Jim said yes, you knew he was committed to completion and applied his experience to the tasks at hand.
Jim was not easily put off or silenced by bureaucrats or noisy politicians where he believed the matter at hand was not being considered or resolved as it should be or where the importance of the outcome could not be left untested.
Who else would personally take the Tax Commissioner, on matter of principle, all the way to the High Court and win.
Property in some form was probably always top of mind even early in his career.
When Jim first moved us to Canberra in 1964, he led a hotel business across the ACT and NSW where the chain both operated the hotel and owned the underlying real estate.
Moving to establish JGS business in 1981, he was guided by an unwavering belief in the delivery fiercely independent property advice in all it did then and still does now.
BOMA as it was known before 1996 had been a long-standing commitment of Jim’s as a member of the ACT division council and Division President.
Jim was passionate about BOMA and in his term as National President its transformation to the Property Council.
I am sure he would say the Property Council has more than delivered to every party of the property sector and its beneficiaries, the wider community and government.
As Carol said, Jim had had an unwavering belief in property as an asset class and the depth of its importance to the Australian economy.
Much has been written in recent months about Jim’s passion for Canberra and his legacy. To say that goes without question is easy for me but better I reflect on what others far wiser and younger saw.
As Jim’s seven grandchildren grew, they learnt of or saw Jim’s work across the National’s Capital and in other cities.
Be that in build form projects, Jim led including office buildings, hotels, clubs, extensions to the National Gallery and the National Museum of Australia or learnt of those not as easily seen such government policy and regulatory reform, community commitment, charity work and philanthropy.
For all that Jim would likely not see it as or call it a legacy but rather mention in passing when family gathered that he had a role in the outcome of a particular project, charity or government role and that he was fortunate enough to have been part of along with many others!
On behalf of our family our deep thanks to the Property Council, its Board and its members to Charlotte Black from the National Office for this wonderful recognition of Jim’s life’s work in property.
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Jim Service AOÂ