Past International Director Tony Benbow
Candidate for the Office of International Third Vice President
Tony’s business career spanned some 39 years in the banking industry, working in many senior and varied management roles.
Tony joined the Lions Club of South Vermont as a Charter Member after commencing his community service in the Rotaract Club of Nunawading where he was a member for 10 years.
At District level, Tony held many roles on Cabinet including Zone Chairman, Promotions Chairman and Cabinet Treasurer for 7 years, to Vice District Governor and District Governor. Following his year as District Governor, Tony was elected Council Chairman of Lions Australia in 2007/8.
On completion of his term as Council Chairman, Tony was appointed to the International role of Area Leader Global Membership Team for Australia, a new role created by the International Board to support our Membership program. He was then appointed into a similar role for Leadership for Australia before taking on the role of Constitutional Area 7 Leader role for Membership and Leadership.
Tony was elected to the International Board of Directors in 2016 where he served a two year term. During his first year he was a member of the Leadership Committee and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee. The following year was appointed Chairperson of the Finance and Headquarters Committee. He has also held other roles in Lions, both at the local and International level. He was Deputy Chairman of the 2010 International Convention Host Committee, Constitutional Area Leader for CA7 for the Global Action Team and was the Host Committee Chairperson for the recent International Convention held in Melbourne in June 2024.
As a Lions Certified Instructor, Tony has also been invited to serve as a Group Leader on the District Governor’s Elect Seminar in Hamburg, Toronto and Honolulu and service as a Group Leader during COVID in a virtual Leader capacity.
Tony has a passion to serve and holds a number of positions in other organisations.
He is the Chairman of the Lions House Foundation Inc. which he has held for a number of years and the Victorian State Director and Chairman of the Australian Lions Foundation. He is also a member of the Institute of Community Directors Australia.
Throughout his Lions and business career, family has always been important to Tony. Tony’s wife—Sue is also a Lion and an active member of the Lions Club of South Vermont. She is also a Melvin Jones Fellow. Together with Nicole and Michael, they have always fully supported Tony.
