Drum roll please! Introducing our new Chief Executive Officer Justin Lorenz.
Justin joined Mercy Community in October 2021 as Chief Financial Officer and is now honoured to step up to the CEO role, following the departure of Fritha Radyk.
With more than 20 years of financial management experience under his belt, Justin’s career spans both external advisory and in-house corporate roles.
Beginning in investment banking with Credit Suisse in Sydney, he later joined Aveo Group in Brisbane, where he spent almost 15 years in a number of management roles.
Justin believes this diverse background positions him uniquely to understand the challenges faced by both head office staff and frontline operational teams.
We sat down with Justin to find out a little bit more…
What motivated you to join Mercy Community?
I was interested in being part of an organisation that makes such a huge difference in the community.
Having been with Mercy Community for two years, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication, passion, and talent that defines our team, and I’m proud to be involved.
What do you love about it?
I like the impact we have on the community in terms of the people we support and the work that we do.
I also like the people I work with inside the organisation. They are genuinely good people, with good hearts, who are working together to make a difference for others.
Are there any challenges to overcome?
The sectors we work in – child protection, aged care, disability support, and family services – are by nature difficult areas to operate in, from both corporate and frontline perspectives.
There is a lot of hard work that goes into delivering high quality outcomes, and nothing comes easily but everyone works together and when we see wins for the people we support, it makes all the effort worthwhile.
What are you most passionate about?
We do a lot of different things at Mercy Community and that’s one of the wonderful things about it.
I’m not focused on anything in particular. One week we might be looking at how to support someone in one of our aged care homes who is on their last week of life, and the next we can be helping new mothers with babies who are in their first week of life. Each of those people is just as valuable and deserving in terms of the support we deliver. The fact that we get to make a difference in those outcomes is extremely rewarding.
What are your goals for the future?
I’m working with the Board on strategic planning at the moment and looking at the vision for Mercy Community for the next three years.
It’s an exciting process to go through and there is plenty to work towards over that period.
Being new to the CEO role, I’m also on a bit of a learning curve, so in the short-term I’d like to get to know a little bit more about the areas of the organisation that I haven’t played a direct role in before and transition from CFO to CEO as best I can.
How do you unwind after a hard day at work?
I have two boys, aged nine and 13, so I drive them around to all their sporting fixtures.
I’m also a coach for my son’s Under 9s AFL team and I really enjoy that. It’s great to see kids having fun, and nice to interact socially with other parents.
I do like to be out on an oval somewhere rather than sitting at a desk!
What are your plans for the festive season?
I’m heading up to the Sunshine Coast for the first two weeks of January. I’m looking forward to reading some books, swimming, and doing a whole lot of ‘not too much’. Hopefully there won’t be any work to deal with until I get back!
