Vale: Dr Gary Crilley 1954-2010

Dr Gary Crilley, a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Recreation Management at the University of South Australia, and the foundation Director of the Centre for Tourism & Leisure Management, has died.

Gary had a passion for the application of research in the leisure, sport and recreation industries, and was a co-director and co-founder of the CERM Performance Indicators project, focussing on performance measurement and benchmarking in public sport and leisure facilities across Australasia. In recent years his interests turned to a broader conceptualisation of management performance in leisure contexts, including Botanical Gardens, Museums, National Parks and Zoological Gardens.

Gary was an active member of a number of professional associations including ACPHER, AES, ANZALS, CAUTHE and PLA, and attended and presented at many conferences. Many would have met him at these conferences and enjoyed his company, and his quiet good humour. He was well-respected by both his colleagues and his students, reflected in the number of messages of sympathy received from past students and staff who knew and were influenced by Gary. Beyond his academic achievements, Gary will also be remembered for his strong passion for inclusiveness, for integrity and for loyalty and perhaps these are his truest legacy to the industry and his academic colleagues.

His passing is a great loss, and he will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with his wife Brenda and family.

Gary was born in 1954 and grew up in the New England area of NSW.

Gary's academic qualifications included PhD at Flinders University (2004); MBA, University of South Australia (1990); Grad. Dip. Recreation, RMIT (1982); Grad. Dip. Education, University of New England (1976); B.A. (Economics and Geography), University of New England (1975).

Condolences can be sent to Gary's family at 11 Ardrossan Avenue, Belair SA 5052

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Cancer Council SA.

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