Greg Sword on life after LUCRF

Greg Sword retired last year after nine years as CEO of industry fund LUCRF, but his involvement with the fund started 40 years before when as a young organiser with the then Storeman and Packers Union he was responsible for establishing LUCRF to provide super benefits to members. Greg looks back on a career in super, unions and politics, and forward to a retirement focused on 'freedom' and family.

Career snapshot

1972 .....Elected National President of Young Labor
1977 .....Established LUCRF while an organiser with the Storeman and Packers Union
1978 .....Appointed CEO of LUCRF
1982 .....Returned to the Storeman and Packers Union (SPU)
1984 .....Appointed National Secretary of the SPU and a non-exec LUCRF director
1985 .....Appointed Asia Pacific Region President of the International Union of Food Workers
1988 .....Managed the amalgamation of six unions to form the now National Union of Workers (NUW). Remained National Secretary of the NUW before retiring in 2004
1998 .....Appointed Senior Vice President of the ACTU
1999 .....Served as Victorian State President of the ALP for the second of two terms
2001 .....Became the National President of the ALP before retiring in 2004
2006 .....Appointed CEO of LUCRF for the second time before retiring in August 2014

What are you enjoying most about life now?

Mostly, it's the freedom to slow down and engage in everyday activities without worrying or feeling guilty that I should be doing something else. It's the freedom from being responsible for the overall success of an organisation.

Since the age of around 32 I have been in a CEO position, National Secretary of the National Union of Workers and LUCRF CEO. These are jobs that require most of your attention most of the time and all of your attention some of the time. This puts pressure on family life even when you are with your family because you're always distracted by your work.

I think the essential thing is to retire at the right time. Now, in retirement I have the freedom to pay attention to the things in life that are important to me. I also feel very grateful that I am in good health and able to enjoy my retirement.

What do you most miss about being CEO of LUCRF?

LUCRF is very special for me and I have been with it in one role or another for nearly 40 years. I still have a small role assisting with the Community Partnership Trust so I still have contact in an ongoing way.

If I miss anything, it's being part of an important fund in a growing industry that is rapidly changing the future form of Australia's financial system for the better.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life/career?

The Union I started with in 1974 was the Storeman and Packers Union. The then Secretary was Bill Landeryou. Bill taught me how to be a good union official, important values and a real understanding of working for members. The SPU understood the advisory role of a good union and how to give the right advice even when it might be unpopular. Bill also supported the development of LUCRF and gave me the resources to work on the establishment of the fund.

Bill Kelty taught me a great deal more about being a good Trade Union Official and about what was important and what was not. Bill provided support for me during the development of LUCRF in the early days. He is primarily responsible for the development of the current system that has allowed LUCRF and other funds to flourish.

What was the best piece of advice you were ever given?

Becoming a Trade Union official was the beginning of my long term role of representing working people and it offered me the opportunity to develop. The advice to come to the Storeman and Packers Union came from Bill Landeryou. I didn't know it at the time but the SPU was a remarkable and different Union. It was innovative and not entrenched in the habits of the past.

This was the environment that offered me the opportunity and resource to work on the impossible task of developing a Union based superannuation fund for members.

Is there a particular charity or cause that you support?

I have been involved with supporting the St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne for some time. Retirement offers me the opportunity to spend a bit more time helping. Recently, St Vincent's has appointed me to the position of Chairman of the St Vincent's Foundation.

The Foundation is the major charitable body supporting St Vincent's in Melbourne. We are always looking for people to help us and to be part of a "StV's Business Network". Anyone who is interested to know more can contact me.