Mr Jack Smorgon AO

Mr. Smorgon AO was involved in the Smorgon Group of Companies from 1954 until 1995, mostly in the meat industry where he was Managing Director of the Meat Division from 1976-1991.

A Member of the Board of the Committee for Melbourne, he was appointed Chairman in 1995, and stepped down after 10 years.

Mr. Smorgon AO remains on the Board of the Committee for Melbourne and also Chair’s two Sub-Committees.

He became interested in transport as Chairman of the Infrastructure Sub Committee in 1992, pushing the Government to start the City Link Project, chairing the State Government’s Freightways Melbourne.

He was appointed Chairman of the Australian National Railways Commission in 1995, until 1998, when the Federal Government agreed with the Board to privatise.

Mr. Smorgon AO chaired the Federal Government Task Force, “Rivitalising Rail” in 1999.

Mr. Smorgon AO serves in a number of organisations and associations:

• Chairman of the United Israel Appeal for Victoria (UIA),
• Chairman of the Jack & Robert Smorgon Families Foundation,
• Member of the Board of the family company – Escor,
• Deputy Chairman of the Bionic Ear Institute,
• Chairman of the Investment Sub-Committee,
• Board member of the Australia Day Committee (Victoria),
• Chairman of the Melbourne Chapter of the World Presidents Organisation,
• Member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, where he is Co-Chairman of the Former Soviet Union Committee, and
• Deputy Chairman of the Australian Defence Reserves Support Council.

Mr. Smorgon AO is also a member of the Executive of Keren Hayesod and Chairman of the Projects Committee.

He stepped down from the International Board of the World Presidents Organisation at the end of 2006 after 10 years, he was also a former Chairman of the Montefiore Foundation.

Mr. Smorgon AO was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2006 Australia Day Honours.

Mr. Smorgon AO is married to Val and they have four children and 16 grandchildren.