It is with great pleasure that we announce Loretta Kirkovski was inducted into the Associations Forum Hall of Fame Wednesday, 29 November 2023. 

Inductees are recognised for their outstanding high-level contribution and commitment to an association over a long period of time (i.e. 30 years or more). Loretta knocks this out of the park as she prepares to mark 40 years of service today, on Friday 1 December, making her our longest-serving team member. 

Loretta joined the VIC Branch of the APA as a receptionist/membership clerk on 1 December 1983, when she was 17 and a half years old, finishing her Higher School Certificate (HSC) year before officially signing on. When she first joined the APA, she was just one of three employees at the VIC Branch, which was a two-room office above a hardware store in North Fitzroy.

“Her first day of employment predates the births of 30 of our current team members. In today’s world, that sort of loyalty and length of service is a rare and treasured thing,” said APA Chief Executive Officer Anja Nikolic. 

Working with members is something Loretta is no stranger to; from the beginning she took on the responsibility of managing accounts and membership renewals. She fondly recalls first using paper cards to process memberships and has seen this manual process grow into the digitised ecosystem that it is today. Her work for the past 16 years has primarily focused on streamlining financial aspects of our membership renewals process. 

Loretta has witnessed exponential growth of the APA in staff numbers and membership; when she began working there were 600 members, and now we are over 32,000 members-strong. She has witnessed the comings and goings of 18 presidents and 10 CEOs, and reported to seven different managers. She has long-established friendships with some members who have known her since she was a junior. Working with members continues to ignite Loretta’s passion to this day, and she credits this to her longevity with the APA. 

“Her significant contributions to the APA are a shining example to so many. She has forged friendships with members that span decades – a rarity in this day and age,” said APA National President Scott Willis. 

Loretta has said she comes into work each day feeling as though she is coming home, and we are so thankful she entered our family 40 years ago. 

From everyone at the APA, thank you Loretta for your tremendous contributions to our organisation, the profession and the lives of our members. 

Read more about the Association Forum Association Awards and Hall of Fame.