Take CUB chief to the pub Jeeves, he wants to count those beer kegs

LOU MANGAN, AO
Brewer
26.05.1922 - 27.05.2015

Lou Mangan became a top executive at Carlton & United Breweries -- but even he was surprised when, on a trip to Cairns with his boss R.F.G.Fogarty, the press was waiting to take photos as they stopped off at Brisbane. Well, maybe not so important. Turned out the media was more interested in the young blokes disembarking from the plane behind them – the Rolling Stones.

Former CUB chief Lou Mangan.Credit: Sue Carabott

Mangan had joined CUB in 1952 as a cost accountant. Within seven years he took on the role as personal assistant to the general manager and shortly thereafter became the general manager. After only 20 years at CUB he had the top job as managing director, a position he held for 11 years.

By the time Mangan left the brewery in 1985 more than 50 per cent of beer being drunk in Australia was a CUB brand. His commitment to the industry had been recognised the previous year when he was awarded an Order of Australia. Many of his friends joshed that he earned the award for encouraging Australians to drink more beer, in particular CUB products.

Lou was so intent on seeing his product range being consumed that he was known to regularly drive by various hotels in his chauffeured Cadillac to count the number of empty CUB kegs. Upon nearing retirement, the last duty performed by his chauffeur was to teach Mangan how to drive the Cadillac.

Over the years, his contribution to business and the brewing industry continued on a number of committees. He was on the Australian Remuneration Tribunal (1983-1992), deputy chairman of Australian Associated Brewers (1973-1985), a director of Elders IXL (1980-19850 and a director of the Fiji Brewery.

Louis Joseph Mangan, who has died one day after his 93rd birthday, was born in Melbourne, grew up in Albert Park and attended Christian Brothers College. He spent a short time in Wangaratta. He played Australian Rules football for South Melbourne, now the Sydney Swans, playing 14 games between 1942 and 1945 and kicking four goals for "the Bloods". With the outbreak of WWII, he joined the Australian Air Force and served from 1942 to 1946. During that time he was stationed at Mount Gambier in South Australia where he was able to continue playing football for Port Adelaide.

He left the Air Force in 1946 and commenced studies in accounting and commerce at Melbourne University under the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme. This was set up by the government to retrain returning service personnel, many of whom had put their education on hold.

In Lou's personal life, he was fortunate to share a loving and devoted marriage with Cecile Wykes for over 50 years. Cecile was born in St Kilda and they first met in 1956 while holidaying at Torquay. Across a crowded tent their eyes locked and Lou's gaze never faltered right through to his last breath.

They married in 1964, first living in St Kilda Rd and later moving to Toorak. In the late 1960s they bought a holiday house at Mornington, where they would entertain. They were famed for their great tennis days.

Mangan stayed in the beer trade even after leaving CUB -- he bought The Riveria Hotel in Seaford. Upon retirement, Lou and Cecile spend time playing golf, tennis and sailing.

The Mangans did not have their own children, but were able to share their love with friends by watching their children then grandchildren grow up. I first met Lou a few years after he left the brewery. While I was dropping in to spread some bags of chicken manure, he asked me what else I did. I said I mostly prune and remove trees. To which he replied: "You are the man for me." This was the start of our long and treasured friendship.

James Farrell was Lou Mangan's gardener and friend.