Chris Glenister
Darren Goldie
Currently a Senior Account Executive with Telstra, a position he has held since 2006, Chris was previously the project manager for three years at Delfcam, a private communications company. While he has enjoyed extensive travel, Chris remains grounded on the Gold Coast and is involved with many local community events. He has lived at Coomera for the past seven years with wife Jodie Lee (Elliott), and the couple has two children, Madison, 6, and Cody, 4. When he’s not working, Chris maintains an active lifestyle and is a regular competitor in the Gold Coast half marathon and has completed the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge for the past five consecutive years – an event he says he loves.
After graduating from TSS and the TSS Air Force Cadet program, Darren joined the Royal Australian Air Force and attended the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, graduating with a Bachelor of Computer Science in 1995. He then moved to Perth and completed Pilot Training in 1997, before being posted to Sydney for deployment as a C130 Hercules pilot. In the subsequent 10 years, Darren served on operations in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq and accumulated over 4,500 flying hours. He also had postings as the aide-de-camp for the Chief of the Defence Force (20002001) and as the Air Force Pilot HR Manager (2007-2008). Darren was appointed as the Staff Officer, VIP Operations, in 2008, responsible to Government for the air transport of VIPs, including royalty, visiting dignitaries, politicians and, more specifically, the Prime Minister and Governor-General. During this time he travelled with these Australian leaders throughout the world and, says Darren, was exposed to a range of fascinating cultures and people. He was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross medal in the 2012 Australia Day Awards for his time in this position. He also received an Australia Day medallion in 2007 for his work as a C130 Hercules pilot.
Chris Glenister and his wife, Jodie Lee
Darren has continued study, completing a Masters in Management at UNSW in 2010 and is currently completing a Masters of Strategic Studies with the US Air Force in Montgomery, Alabama, hence his occasional get-togethers with Braxton Cook. With the rank of Wing Commander, Darren said it had been a great 12 months in America and he is now preparing to return to Australia in July 2012 to assume command of 37 Squadron in Richmond, NSW – a Squadron of 650 people that operates two models of C130 aircraft domestically, overseas and on operations in the Middle East. Another Old Boy member of the Squadron is Chris Bassingthwaighte, who graduated from TSS in the late ’90s. Darren is married to Kirsty and they have two children aged 8 and 6. Despite his work-intensive career, Darren still finds time to play club-level Rugby in America and is a keen golfer. Like so many other members of this Year group, Darren’s career is still gaining momentum in key leadership roles he plays within Australia’s Defence Force.
Darren Goldie, soon to return to Australia to assume command of 37 Squadron at Richmond 21