Dennis Calls it Time

After over 8 years at the helm steering the club through a period of significant transformation, the club’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Dennis has announced that it is time to bring his tenure to an end.

As one of the club’s most consequential leaders, he has decided the time is right for him to leave to pursue new personal and family priorities.

Dennis started at the club in 2017 when the organisation was enduring considerable financial stress.

The club was half a million dollars in debt and reliant on the good graces of club suppliers.

He delivered an average annual surplus over his tenure in excess of $200,000 and leaves the club with a strong balance sheet showing significantly increased net assets, cash reserves and current ratio.

In addition, the club invested over $900,000 on facility improvements over the past 5 years including new women’s changerooms and new oval lighting.

Perhaps Dennis’ biggest legacy will be his transformation of the club from a predominantly sporting-focussed organisation to a broader more outwardly facing and engaged community enabler.

“It was patently clear when I started that the club needed significant and systemic change to help preserve its long and rich history”, said Dennis.

“To future-proof the club, business as usual could no longer be an option. We needed to become more relevant to the community we belong to.

“Football was an important and valuable tool to achieve this relevance – it’s in the club’s DNA and is a language most West Australians understand.

“However, remaining primarily focused on State league football and talent development meant we were thinking too small.”

He quickly reset the club’s purpose around building community and developing people and created a vision to improve social impact and community sense of wellbeing.

The club’s new values around integrity, inclusion, and being the very best you can be became the cornerstone for future strategies.

It’s rapidly growing WAFL Women’s and All Abilities football programs personify this.

“Swans have demonstrated the important and impactful role that sporting clubs can play in strengthening community, creating measurable social value, and building environments where people can be the best they can be,” said Dennis.

Dennis helped build a robust and resilient club business model that enabled the organisation to not only navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic but provide a strong foundation for a bright future.

He remained steadfast in improving the club’s governance around transparency, accountability, compliance, and efficiency.

He also introduced strong marketing programs that helped establish a new audience while respecting the club’s traditional supporters. This was evident through both the club’s digital marketing strategy and its innovative program of match day activities – which became the envy of other WAFL clubs.

As the balance sheet improved, the club increased expenditure in the club’s football programs in search of enduring and sustainable success.

Swans President Peter Hodyl acknowledged Dennis’ valued contribution.

“All at the Swan Districts Football Club are incredibly grateful for Jeff’s contributions over many years.”

“Some of which were extremely challenging but Jeff’s vision, drive and desire for everyone at the club to be a part of something bigger has been inspirational.

“Jeff will be sorely missed, not just by the Swan Districts Football Club but the wider WA Football Family. His courage to stand by his convictions has been inspirational to many.

“The whole of our club has a new vision and belief of what a WAFL club can look like, how we can interact with our community, remain relevant and sustainable, and make a difference to so many people’s lives.

“All of this is thanks to the commitment of one of Swans greatest administrators.”

Dennis has agreed to stay until 31 August to help the club transition to a new CEO