RMSA President - Leigh Radford OAM honoured (Jan 2019)

RMSA President, Leigh Radford was announced as the recipient of an Order of Australia Medal in the 2019 Australia Day Honours Listing.

Leigh Radford OAM retired from a 30-year career in rural communications with the ABC, leaving behind him a lasting legacy that will improve the productivity, profitability and welfare of rural communities across the Australian continent. At the end of his 30-year career, he was National Head of Rural and National programs with ABC Regional.

However the decision to honour him with an OAM was not based on his professional paid career. Rather, it was for his voluntary efforts assisting rural, regional, remote and international communities over a period of three decades. In the past, Leigh Radford OAM has been recognised with honours by two other two major organisations:

• "Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation", in recognition of his extraordinary long term commitment to promoting leadership within rural, regional and remote Australia. A unique honour, conferred on very few people;

• Inducted to the highly esteemed status of "Rural Media Icon" by Rural Media South Australia. This is the highest honour of Rural Media SA, never bestowed lightly and rarely awarded.

Leigh Radford stands out from all others due to his commitment over an extremely long period on the national and international stage, to improve life in the rural and regional sector. While he received many accolades for excellence within his paid professional role, that role also provided him with the ideal background to extend his numerous voluntary services.

Leigh Radford OAM