Dave Noonan, member director of Cbus, is the AIST 2019 Trustee of the Year.

Noonan, who is the national secretary of the CFMEU, has also been a member director of Cbus Property since 2006 and is on the board of ACSI. He also sits on the investment committee at Cbus.

“I want to thank AIST very much,” he said at CMSF where he received the award. “It is a great honour to be part of the team at Cbus. This award is a collective, and we couldn’t achieve what we have at Cbus without the very strong board we have.

“I also want to thank David Atkin and the executive team that do the tremendous hard work.”

Noonan acknowledged all the members of the fund, who work with a “great deal of hazardous risk and financial risk”.

“I also want to acknowledge that a large number of members went on strike to win super as a right for workers. A lot of them never got enough super back to offset the loss in wages they incurred in their struggle for super for future generations. This is their award,” he said.

Noonan also paid tribute to the late Mavis Robertson, the first fund secretary of Cbus, and a mentor.

Chief executive of ACSI Louise Davidson said Noonan’s depth of knowledge on human rights issues is second to none.

“We both had Mavis as a mentor, and I know Mavis would be delighted today,” she said.

Chief executive of Cbus, David Atkin, said Noonan was a truly impressive director.

“He has a fierce intellect, is very well read, and always goes to the heart of the issue very quickly. He is highly respected across all parts of the organisation,” Atkin said.

Chair of Cbus Steve Bracks said he couldn’t think of anyone better to be the AIST 2019 trustee of the year.

“Dave always puts members first: them; their families; and their retirement in every decision that is made.”

Noonan truly epitomises the values of the profit to member sector, said AIST’s chief Eva Scheerlinck.

“He always put members first.”

The Trustee of the Year is supported by Schroders.