Directors
Who we are
We don’t pay our Directors – they pay us!
All UCF directors contribute $100 per month to the Fund to cover the administration and overhead costs (e.g insurance, stationery, web hosting etc).
That’s why, when we say we guarantee 100% of your donation goes toward funding grants – we really do mean it!
Our focus is on awarding grants to those small charities where “local heroes” do a great job and where small grants have a strong multiplier effect thanks to the input of volunteers.
The Directors have a preference for applications which are project oriented from non-profits which do not receive government funding.
Directors
Stan Kontos (Chairman)
Stan is a motivational speaker, author, NLP Trainer, and socially responsible entrepreneur. He is the founding director of Star Pharmacy Group Pty Ltd – South Australia’s foremost retail pharmacy group with stores based Australia wide. He is also the founding director of SOL Results, a company dedicated to assisting others in personal and professional development through training, coaching and mentoring. Stan lives in Adelaide and is happily married with 3 children.
Peter Gardiakos(Public Officer)
Peter is a business owner and director of Star Pharmacy Group, a major retail pharmacy group with stores Australia wide. He is also a director of SOL Results, a company dedicated to assisting others in personal and professional development through training, coaching and personal development.
Fareed Heidari (Treasurer)
Fareed is a business owner and volunteer. He is actively involved with his local community and enjoys liaising with industry bodies. Fareed is passionate about encouraging spiritual unity of all mankind and sees the Universal Charitable Fund as one of those important vehicles. He resides in Adelaide with his family.
Trevi Lim
Trevi is a pharmacist and business owner with an entrepreneurial flair. It is his great desire to add value to the lives of others and Universal Charitable Fund is one of the ways that he can work toward this end. He has a passion for teaching and mentoring to help others do what they love and enable them to become all they are capable of becoming.
Kate Fox
Kate is the Senior Manager of Operations & Social Wellbeing Grants at The Wyatt Trust, one of Australia’s oldest philanthropic organisations. Kate has over 15 years of experience in philanthropy and grant making and many years of experience of working in both community service and government organisations. She has served on a number of community service/not-for-profit boards and committees. Kate is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, has a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Social Work. When Kate is not working she enjoys bush walking and spending time with her husband and daughters.
Chris Kats
Chris is an Australian and International businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist with a wide range of experience in the service, advertising and broad business sectors. He has been CEO of the MGE Group known for servicing, security, computing & electrical technologies since 2000 when he returned from 11 years in South Africa. Chris also brings experience as a first-rate communicator and a developer of innovative and original marketing strategies (think “Woolworths – The Fresh Food People”) for many well known brands from his early business roles in advertising.
Paul Madden AM (Founding Director, retired)
Formerly CEO of The Wyatt Trust. Over the past 30 years Paul has been involved in a wide range of community service and overseas development activities in key roles with Habitat for Humanity SA, Mission Australia, Baptist Community Services and the Child and Family Welfare Association SA. In 2001 Paul was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to the community and in 2016 made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for his community, international development and philanthropic work.
Paul’s knowledge and expertise was invaluable during the inception and early years of UCF and we extend our gratitude and thanks for his assistance.