ARITA inducts four new Life Members

02/08/2023

2023 ARITA Life Members Michael McCann, Robyn McKern, Scott Atkins and Ross McClymont.

From time to time, ARITA has granted life membership to select individuals who have demonstrated long and eminent service to ARITA and the insolvency profession. Life membership is generally regarded as being reserved for those who have made a profound difference at the highest benchmark.

ARITA has a pantheon of 19 Life Members stretching back to 1993, eight of whom are sadly no longer with us. Our Life Member roll is a remarkable who’s who of our profession.

The last time ARITA made someone a Life Member was five years ago at our 25^th National Conference in 2018, and the inductee was David Lombe.

At the 2023 ARITA National Conference dinner last night, we added four new faces to that very esteemed list of members.

Scott Atkins

Scott became an ARITA member in 2004 and was elected to the NSW/ACT Committee in 2009, where he continued as a member for a dozen years. He was also elected to the ARITA Board in 2009, becoming just the third lawyer to join it.

Scott served as ARITA Vice President from 2014 to 2016, Deputy President from 2017 to 2019 and President from 2019 to 2021. Scott concluded his term as Immediate Past President earlier this year.

Scott took over ARITA’s Board role on the INSOL International Board while Mark Robinson served as their President and has gone on to become INSOL Global President where he is currently serving his third year in that role, marking Scott’s contribution to ARITA not just at a national level but also on the global stage.

As an example of Scott’s commitment to ARITA, when we first rolled out the Advanced Certification, and despite having done the old IEP back in 2003, he returned to undertake the Advanced Restructuring and Turnaround course in its first intake. And he did this to set an example for other senior practitioners that it was a worthy course that everyone should do. Unsurprisingly, he got a High Distinction.

The ARITA Board is honoured to induct Scott Atkins as a Life Member and, also fittingly, our second ever lawyer Life Member.

Michael McCann

Mike was President of ARITA from 2015 to 2017 and played a pivotal role in the setting of ARITA’s strategic direction with a then recently appointed CEO.

It was with Mike’s support that ARITA was able to modernise its structure and member offering, laying the foundation for us to be a more commercial and sustainable operation.

Mike has been a member since 1998, served as a Director from 2009 to 2017, Vice President from 2011 to 2013 and Deputy President from 2013 to 2015 before serving his term as President from 2015 to 2017.

Mike also served on the Qld Division Committee from 2009 to 2015, including as many years as Division Chair.

The ARITA Board is honoured to induct Mike McCann as a Life Member.

Ross McClymont

Ross has been an ARITA member since 2001 and was on the Vic/Tas Committee for 15 years from 2005 to 2020.

Ross was one of the first lawyers ever elected to the ARITA Board and served as a director from 2005 to 2019. 

He was ARITA’s Vice President from 2013 to 2015 and Deputy President from 2015 to 2017 before progressing to President from 2017 to 2019.

He has provided active and long-term leadership and support to ARITA in every possible way. 

Fittingly, as one of the first lawyers on the Board, this also makes Ross the first lawyer member to become an ARITA Life Member.

The ARITA Board is honoured to induct Ross McClymont as a Life Member.

Robyn McKern

Robyn was one of the early graduates of the IEP in 1995. She joined ARITA in 2000 and became a Fellow in 2017.

She served for many years on our Vic/Tas Committee, including three years as Division Secretary from 2011 to 2013 and three years as Chair from 2013 to 2016.

She joined the ARITA Board in 2013 where she served until 2021; including as Vice President from 2017 for the four years through to her retirement in 2021. During her time on the Board she variously chaired our membership committee and served on the finance committee.

In particular, Robyn brought a highly regarded and insightful voice to the Board’s deliberations and leadership.

The ARITA Board is honoured to induct Robyn McKern as a Life Member.