Stan Alves -  Associate

AFL coach, elite athlete, media personality entrepreneur and successful businessman, Stan Alves is one of those rare individuals whose multifaceted ability has taken him from the elite sporting arena, into that of business management, back to sport and once more to the business world.

As an athlete and AFL player, Stan played 276 games with Melbourne and North Melbourne football clubs and has been awarded AFL life membership. He captained Melbourne 1973 to 1976, won club best and fairest on two occasions, was state representative, and was runner up for the AFL's top player's award, the Brownlow Medal. He was a member of the North Melbourne 1977 premiership team.

In 1994, Stan was appointed coach of the St Kilda football club in the Australian football league. The previous season they had finished 12th out of 15 sides in the competition and it was felt that apart from five very good players, they were not up to the required standard. Five years later, at the end of 1998, when Stan left St Kilda Football Club, he had taken them to two final series, won an Ansett cup pre-season competition premiership (their first of any kind for 30 years) got them to their first grand final appearance in 26 years and guided them to where they were respected for their on field performance.

On an individual basis, 13 of his maligned players were honoured by State of Origin selection and one of his players won consecutive Brownlow Medals.

For his own part, Stan became St Kilda's second longest serving coach and was rewarded with 1997 coach of the all Australian team and 1997 AFL coach of the year.

Since leaving St Kilda football club, Stan has broadened his business involvements to include:

• Director of a telecommunications billing management company
• Personal and performance development for corporate organisations and sporting bodies
• Author; 'Sacked Coach'
• Media
• Motivation and Public Speaking
• Chairman; 'Rex Hunt future Fish Foundation'
• President; Australian Football Coaches Association

In 2008, Stan was awarded 'the Medal of the Order of Australia' for service to Australian rules football as player, coach and commentator, and to the community as a supporter of charitable organisations. A truly gifted coach, motivator and communicator, he is dedicated to passing on his knowledge and experiences to others for them to be successful in their chosen fields of business, sport and more importantly, life.