Northern Pride: What led to CEO Mark Quinn’s shock resignation

Northern Pride interim chairman Nigel Tillett insists the resignation of chief executive Mark Quinn and former chairman Tony Williamson in the space of two months does not represent a “clean-out” of the club’s front office.

Northern Pride interim chairman Nigel Tillett insists the resignation of chief executive Mark Quinn and former chairman Tony Williamson in the space of two months does not represent a “clean out” of the club’s front office.

“You could look at it that way but I don’t want to,” said the well-known rugby league administrator, who was elected interim chairman after Williamson stood down in December.

“I think we’ve lost two valuable gentlemen in the last few months, but everybody has to move on and that’s the way we have to look at it now.

“Tony made his decision to resign and had his reasons and now Mark’s done the same thing, but those things happen and we move on.”

Cowboys head of football and Northern Pride director Michael Luck with Northern Pride CEO Mark Quinn at Barlow Park. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Quinn announced he would be standing down as the Pride CEO on Wednesday afternoon, saying the “time was right” for him to step aside and pursue new opportunities.

Tillett said the decision caught board members by surprise, with a belief Quinn would be the man to lead the club into the future.

“Over the last six to eight weeks the Pride has undertaken a fairly solid review of its operations generally and looking at how we can do things better,” Tillett said.

“A lot has come out of that and we were hoping Mark was going to very much be able to lead that forward, but obviously that’s all changed now.”

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The external review was conducted by an independent consultant and covered all aspects of the club, including the football department, operations, administration and club culture.

“It was not so much trying to pick holes in it, but more or less to say this is where we’re at now, this is where we want to be and this is how we can get there,” Tillett said.

“I can understand Mark saying he wants to take on new challenges — that’s fine — but this review’s been very thorough and there’s going to have to be some changes in direction with a few things, and Mark obviously decided he didn’t want to be part of that process going forward, which is unfortunate.”

Quinn was temporarily installed in the Pride’s top job in August 2018, after former CEO and rugby league legend Greg Dowling walked out on the club following a heated argument with then chairman Williamson in relation to his performance in the job.

Northern Pride strength and conditioning coach Scott Callaghan, under-21s coach Dave Scott, outgoing CEO Mark Quinn, former chairman Tony Williamson and head coach Ty Williams. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

He was announced as the Pride’s new CEO three months later, beating out 37 applicants, one of which was understood to be club legend Chey Bird.

While Quinn, a former property valuer and vice president of the Cairns Amateurs, had the commercial skills to succeed in the role, one of the criticisms of his appointment was his lack of rugby league nous.

Tillett said the board would actively commence a recruitment campaign to replace Quinn in the coming weeks.

“We’ll advertise widely and obviously select who we believe will do the best to fill the role,” he said.

Northern Pride CEO Mark Quinn. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

“It’s a multifaceted role and it does involve an understanding of the game, and it certainly involves an understanding of finance and marketing and all of those things, so we’ll lay that out in the advertising process and see what comes and hopefully we get the right person.

“We will still look towards the future but we will have to get somebody else in to basically take up the mantle.”

Tillett said the Pride board was currently in the process of establishing interim arrangements for the CEO position.

“It will involve mainly local staff at this stage and could be a couple of people basically holding the fort until we go through a proper process,” he said.

Northern Pride interim chairman Nigel Tillett. Picture: Stewart McLean

“There’ll be board members around that will jump in and assist as well.”

He said Quinn left the club in a “strong” financial position.

“He’s done some wonderful things for the Pride, particularly on the financial and the sustainability side of things, and in that sense he’s going to be missed,” Tillett said.

Former chairman Williamson, who worked with four CEOs during his six years on the Pride board, said Quinn’s legacy was the robust financial position he leaves the club in.

Former Northern Pride chairman Tony Williamson. Picture: Stewart McLean

“He’s left a healthy bank account that the next person can work off, whereas most CEOs leave an unhealthy bank account or in an unhealthy financial position,” he said.

“Not many people leave on top, and the reality is that the Pride are in a very fortunate spot.”

Williamson said there was no correlation between his and Quinn’s resignations.

Tillett will remain in the Pride’s interim chairman role until “probably June”.

“There’s still some work that I’m keen on,” he said.

“We’re reviewing the club constitution at the moment and we’re redeveloping a strategic plan and all those sorts of things.

“The Pride is the pinnacle of the game in this area and we need to make sure it’s maintained.

“We want to try and get all of that in place and then I’ll probably step aside and they’ll appoint a new full-time chair, but that’s down the track.”

Originally published as Northern Pride: What led to CEO Mark Quinn’s shock resignation