Steve Harris is to step down as president of the Fremantle Dockers.

He made the announcement today during his president’s address at a pre-game function before Fremantle’s clash with Adelaide at Domain Stadium.

Steve Harris announcement speech

Harris, who is also chairman and CEO of The Brand Agency, which has offices in Perth, Melbourne, Auckland and London, told guests he was standing down to spend more time with his family and to focus on his business.

First appointed as a director in 2008 before commencing his seven-year term as president in December 2009, Harris confirmed that current vice president Dale Alcock would become the club’s fifth president.

During the Harris era as president, the club has increased membership by more than 30 per cent (from 39,622 in 2009 to the current record level of almost 52,000), recorded a profit in each of the past seven years, played in five finals series in that period, including four consecutive finals series from 2012 to 2015 and a Grand Final appearance in 2013, plus he has overseen the club’s pending relocation to its new world class training and administration facility at Cockburn Central West and the successful bid to secure the inaugural licence for a WA team in the AFL’s new national women’s league.

“It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve as president of the Fremantle Dockers during what has been a dynamic period of growth, development and progress for the club,” Harris said.

“During the past seven years I have been very fortunate to have the support and guidance of an outstanding board of directors, whose collective talents and diverse range of views have helped position the club where it is today.

"Notwithstanding our poor performance on field in 2016, our club hasthe strategy, resources, people and culture in place to give ourplayers and our members the best opportunity of achieving success."

Harris, whose current term as director is due to end on 31 October, said planning to transition to a new president had been underway since mid-2014.

“The move to appoint Dale as the next president of the Fremantle Dockers has been a well-planned and measured process that has been discussed by the board throughout the past 18 months,” Harris said.

“Our aim during that time has been to ensure a smooth transition for the incoming president, which was important for the governance of the club.

“Given that my current term on the board ends on October 31 and that there is such a high quality individual as Dale Alcock available to take on the role, the time is right for me to step aside.

“I’m also leaving at a time when I can say with great confidence and a sense of pride that we have the strategy, resources and people in place to give the club, our players and our members the best opportunity at achieving success.”

AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick praised Harris for his leadership at the club during his tenure as president.

"Steve has left the Fremantle Football Club in an extremely strong position with his work leading an excellent board over the last seven years," Fitzpatrick said.

"Their new training and administration facility will be one of the best in the competition and the club has built itself up to be a strong financial presence in our game with a passionate and loyal fan base.

"On behalf of the AFL Commission, we thank Steve for his contribution and wish him well for the future."

Alcock, who has been a member and corporate partner of the club since 2007, is the managing director of the ABN Group, one of Australia’s leading home building companies.

He was appointed to the club’s board for a three-year term in 2011, which was subsequently extended for a further three years. For the past two years he has chaired the club’s Facilities Sub-Committee, which has been overseeing the development of the club’s new home base at Cockburn Central West.

Harris said Alcock’s five years as a director had provided him with the “opportunity to learn and understand our people and operations”.

“Dale has a strong track record of leadership in diverse environments and will bring a new and unique perspective to the role,” Harris said.

“One of Dale’s great skills is to work with people and help them achieve their greatest potential. He’s a leader and motivator who knows how to structure a culture and environment for elite performance.”

The Harris Era

•           Membership increased by 31 per cent in his seven years as president, rising from 39,622 members in 2009 to the current record level of 51,889.
•           Club has posted a profit every year of his presidency
•           Team played finals football in five out of the past seven years, including four consecutive finals series from 2012 to 2015 and a Grand Final appearance in 2013.
•           Development of master-plan to relocate the club to a new home base and secure federal, state and local government commitments for the club’s new elite training and administration facility at Cockburn Central West, that is on-track to open in March 2017 and which will be acknowledged as the best facility of its kind in Australia.
•           Oversaw successful bid to secure the inaugural licence for the first WA team in the AFL’s new national women’s league for the 2017 season.
•           Long term partnerships nurtured with major partners in Woodside and Programmed
•           Establishment of partnership with Peel Thunder in the WAFL.
•           Launch of new brand, logo and jumpers for season 2011.

Dale Alcock Bio

Alcock is managing director of one of Australia’s leading construction, property and finance groups, the ABN Group.

First appointed to the board of Fremantle Football Club in 2011 to replace Wesfarmers CEO and managing director Richard Goyder, who stood down from the board after being appointed to the AFL Commission in September the same year.

Alcock is a third generation builder, who started his career as an apprentice bricklayer in 1979 in Kellerberrin.

As managing director of the ABN Group, which is ranked second in the Housing Industry Association's Housing Top 100 list, he oversees the building of more than 3500 homes a year.

A former president of the HIA and a winner of the Ernst & Young WA Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Alcock actively promotes and supports social responsibility. He established the ABN Foundation in 2006, which contributes to various causes, including medical research, relief work and the environment.