CEO’S SHOCK EXIT
COWBOYS HUNT FOR NEW CHIEF
COWBOYS CEO Greg Tonner has quit the club in a dramatic postscript to its disappointing season.
The club announced yesterday Mr Tonner ( pictured) would leave immediately after four seasons in the role.
“Greg has been a dedicated leader and a well- respected contributor to the club and community at large,” said club chairman Laurence Lancini in a statement.
It means the playing roster overhaul, which will see up to 10 new faces at the club next season, has now spread to the front office. The club has appointed chief commercial officer Jeff Reibel as acting CEO.
NORTH Queensland Cowboys chief executive Greg Tonner has resigned from the club, effective immediately.
Mr Tonner has been with the Cowboys since 2015 when he replaced Peter Jourdain as CEO.
Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini said Jeff Reibel, the club’s chief commercial officer, would step into the acting CEO role, with human resources manager Micheal Luck moving into an acting role as chief operations officer.
Mr Lancini said the club would work through the structure in the next few weeks to decide how to move forward as it prepares to move into the new stadium in 2020.
“In the three- and- a- half years ( Mr Tonner) has been with the club we’ve achieved a lot,” Mr Lancini said of the departing CEO.
“We always say everything at the club is achieved by a team effort. He has led the team and needs to be commended for the collective efforts of everyone.”
Mr Lancini praised Mr Tonner’s contribution, describing him as a dedicated leader and a well- respected contributor to the club and community at large.
“He is respected by his peers and colleagues alike, and has been instrumental in a number of significant outcomes for the Cowboys.
“His leadership, energy, engagement and integrity is to be commended. Greg has done a wonderful job as CEO as can be seen by the overall performance of the club and in particular the growth in membership, community, sponsorship and commercial.”
Mr Tonner grew up and completed his university studies in Townsville before leaving North Queensland to pursue a career in telecommunications and IT.
In his first season at the club, the Cowboys won their first NRL premiership, also making the grand final in 2017.
During his tenure and after a long- running community campaign, Townsville secured a new stadium for the team.
Last year, NRL Cowboys House, which is a facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from remote areas in Queensland to stay while they complete secondary education, was created, with a girls version of the facility also opening this year.
Mr Tonner said he was proud of the impact the Cowboys had on the community.
“As a born and bred North Queenslander it has been an honour and privilege to have led the Cowboys and the many talented and dedicated people working within it,” he said.
“I’ve given everything over the past 3 ½ years and now it’s time to pass on the baton to someone else to keep the momentum going forward.”