Awarded Life Membership 30 September 1979
Birth: 22 November 1917, Fremantle WA
Death: 17 February 2011, Perth WA (93 years)
Jack Howson spent his lifetime involved in sport, primarily in swimming and rowing and his involvement extended to both the Commonwealth and Olympic Games through various positions over his 50 years of service.
A West Australian, Jack was heavily involved in sport at a number of levels.
He was a member of the organising committee for the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and served as the Australian Team treasurer at those Games.
It commenced a long involvement in Australian Olympic swimming teams, including Assistant Manager (Rome 1960), Advance Party (Tokyo 1964, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988) and General Manager/Chef de Mission (Montreal 1976)
He also served the National Federation as Vice President (1967-1970), President (1970-1973) and Honorary Treasurer (1979-2001) of Swimming Australia
His Commonwealth Games involvement was also extensive.
He served as a member of the Organising Council of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth 1962 as Honorary Secretary and Director.
He was the President of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Western Australian division and ked a Perth bid to host the 1998 Commonwealth Games:
His influence extended to rowing where he was a member of the Australian Amateur Rowing Council a Western Australian Councillor (1962-1965) and President (1965) in addition to roles as Honorary Treasurer (1950), Secretary (1951-1953) and President (1956-1960, 1961-1965) of the Amateur Rowing Association of Western Australia.
He was a member of the Australian Olympic Federation/Committee Executive as WA Representative Member (1960-1992) and the Western Australian Olympic Council as Secretary (1951- ) and President (- 1992).
Outside sport, he made a long contribution to the City of Melville in Western Australia, as a Councillor (1965-1989) and Mayor (1973-1989). A local park is named in his honour.
He became a Swimming Australia Life Member in 1975 and Life Member of the Australian Olympic Committee in addition to Life Memberships of the Western Australian Amateur Swimming Association (1958), Amateur Rowing Association of Western Australia (1960) and Western Australian Olympic Council (1984)
Jack was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963 ‘For service as Director of the Commonwealth Games Organisation’ and the Jack Howson Trophy is awarded annually by Western Australian Swimming to the able-bodied swimmer who is the most consistent performer at the State Age Long Course Swimming Championships.
