Glenn Keys, pictured at the Australian of the Year awards exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, is head of the company leading Australia’s response to the Ebola epidemic. Photo: Jay Cronan
In a week Glenn Keys could be the name on the lips of every Australian.
If the businessman does receive the nation’s highest annual honour he knows the causes he wants to share it with.
“If I was successful I would have two key focuses – one is around disability, how we can better include people with disability in the community,” he said.
“And I’d really try to engage business in community and philanthropy.”
The ACT Australian of the Year and co-founder of Aspen Medical, the Canberra company responsible for putting Australians into the battle against Ebola in West Africa, will be promoting his passions if awarded the national title.
Mr Keys, 51, is on the board for the National Disability Insurance Agency and has been a leading advocate for the Special Olympics, recently relinquishing his role as ACT president after five years. The organisation encourages those with an intellectual disability to enjoy the benefits of regular sport while aspiring for representative success.
“Special Olympics works every day of the week, every day of the year,” he said.
“It reduces participants’ call on the health service by 30 per cent, and strengthens their social skills – they develop their organisation and their responsibility.”
Mr Keys’ son Ehren, who has Down syndrome, represented the ACT at national games in both swimming and football.
Ehren was also the inspiration for his father’s Project Independence, which from next month will see 20 independent living units built across Harrison and Latham designed to be owned by those with a disability.
“It’s completely unique, the first ownership model in Australia… they put down a deposit and pay out of their pension,” he said.
Mr Keys has just begun a sabbatical year, stepping back from the critical daily work of Aspen, but has no expectation of becoming the first ACT winner of the Australian of the Year since Professor Mick Dodson in 2009.
“To be even considered in the categories of those people – Sir Gustav Nossal, Dr Fiona Wood – is staggering and completely humbling,” he said.
If Australia Day eve does turn in a Canberra-based winner, Mr Keys said he wanted to encourage everyday people to realise the power they had.
“It is the generosity of spirit of ordinary people and companies that make Canberra and Australia exceptional,” he said.