Inspiration and Achievements
The Gourlay Visiting Professorship of Ethics in Business
A man with a passion, a gift of $2.5million, and a leading US business ethicist together realised the launch in September 2005 of the Gourlay Visiting Professorship of Ethics in Business.
Retired stockbroker and Trinity alumnus, John Gourlay (1954) was, in his own words, ‘rocked to the core by the excesses of greed, fraudulent behaviour and the plain dishonesty which were perpetrated and flourished in the late 20th century.’
Inspired by his belief that ‘the exercise of uncompromising integrity and morality, as well as being intrinsically desirable, delivers improved and more certain business outcomes’, John and his wife Louise decided to endow a visiting professorship that would promote the teaching of ethics in business to future leaders of the corporate world.
Knowing Trinity College to be ‘a serious educational institution which pursues excellence and produces leaders’, John and Louise made an inspiring gift of $2.5million from the Gourlay Charitable Trust to establish a trust fund at Trinity. Its purpose is to bring an internationally distinguished lecturer to teach ethics in business jointly at Trinity College and the Melbourne Business School for one term each year.
Professor Steve Salbu - Inaugural Gourlay Visiting Professor of Ethics in Business
Following
a worldwide search, Professor Steve Salbu, Associat Dean for Graduate
Programs in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas,
was selected as the inaugural Gourlay Visiting Professor of Ethics in
Business. He visited Melbourne, staying at Trinity College, from 4 to 9
September 2005 for a week of lectures, seminars and events to
officially launch the visiting Professorship. He will return in
September 2006 to teach an intensive course to MBA students, give
seminars and lectures, and engage informally with students at Trinity
College.
John Gourlay was the
first Chairman of the Trinity College Foundation and a
resident student at Trinity from 1954 to 1956, gaining a Bachelor of Commerce
degree at the University of Melbourne.
He became a member of the
Australian Stock Exchange in 1973, and is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He enjoyed a successful and rewarding career in business as a
stockbroker and investor. Both John and his wife Louise have made significant
contributions to education, health and other spheres through their
philanthropic activities.