A former Australian basketball representative and experienced senior executive has officially been appointed Noosa Council CEO.
Larry Sengstock, who has been the acting CEO for the past 16 months, was unanimously endorsed by councillors and his designation was ratified at a Special Meeting on Wednesday.
It followed a rigorous selection process, which attracted 200 applicants from Australia and New Zealand.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the position was pivotal to the future of the community.
“We believe Larry is the right person, in the right place, at the right time for this position,” he said.
“This appointment provides further stability for the organisation and ensures we can more fully focus on delivering for our community.
“The councillors and I were impressed with Larry’s focus on support for staff through skill development and on delivering quality projects, his impressive yet modestly understated background, plus his deep understanding of council’s priorities and needs for our community.”
Cr Wilkie said Mr Sengstock was the standout in a long list of well-credentialled applicants.
“He brings a wealth of local government and private sector experience: he understands the challenges facing Noosa and is an impressive people leader,” he said.
“He’s done an impressive job as acting CEO since March 2023 and the unanimous support of councillors indicates the esteem in which he is held.
“Larry is an accomplished senior executive with diverse professional experience, strong business acumen and a people-centric management style that is a huge asset to council in setting the future path.”
Prior to moving to Noosa in July 2021 as council’s infrastructure services director, Mr Sengstock held senior management roles at Latrobe City Council and delivered Victoria’s $57 million Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre and the $19 million transformation of Traralgon Sports Stadium.
A four-time Olympian, he’s a former chief executive of Basketball Australia, head of sport and operations for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and has consulted to 26 local governments across Australia and New Zealand on sporting facility requirements.
Mr Sengstock holds a Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Applied Science and Physical Education and a Diploma of Education.
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Mr Sengstock said it was a privilege to be appointed to the role.
“I am looking forward to continuing to build on our culture and establish the necessary foundations to ensure the organisation works on meeting the needs of our whole community,” he said.
“We have the right people with the necessary skills and knowledge and I’m extremely proud of the passion and commitment our staff have in providing services for the shire.
“My focus is to make a difference and create a positive legacy.
Mr Sengstock said teamwork was an important ingredient in success, and something he credits for his own achievements in the corporate, local government sphere as well as on the basketball court.
“Everything I’ve achieved, is because you trust the people around you, work collaboratively with stakeholders and be prepared to make the tough decisions when required,” he said.
“Having grown up in the region, lived and worked in many different regional areas and cities, I’ve been back in Noosa for three years and absolutely loving it.
“The shire has a great future, is a wonderful welcoming community and it’s humbling to be given the opportunity to help shape it’s future direction with the mayor and councillors.”
Cr Wilkie said Mr Sengstock’s proven track record made him the right choice.
“Although Larry rarely, if ever, talks about himself, he has an impressive resume, not only at delivering sporting facilities and significant sustainable infrastructure projects, but he embraces innovation,” he said.
“An example of this was during his tenure at Latrobe, he led a project to utilise geothermal heating technology to heat the new aquatics centre, which resulted in $400,000 annual savings for the organisation.
“Councillors are deeply impressed by the collaborative and considered way he goes about achieving for our community, and the exceptional leadership skills he displays.”
Mr Sengstock will take two weeks’ leave before officially resuming the role on July 29.
