North Melbourne chief operating officer Cam Vale has been awarded the 2013 AFL Graeme Samuel Scholarship.

The Graeme Samuel Scholarship provides $20,000 for a study course. It is awarded to a senior manager within the football industry who is working specifically in business or administration.

Vale has worked in the sporting industry for the past 13 years. He was a senior accountant at Carlton 2001-2002, St Kilda’s financial manager 2003-2004, chief financial officer at the Melbourne Storm 2005-2007 before joining North Melbourne as chief financial officer in 2008. He was appointed the Kangaroos’ chief operating officer in 2010 and was interim chief executive officer for eight months in 2012-2013.

Since joining North, Vale has managed key projects including securing home games in Hobart, which involved working closely with the Tasmanian Government, club sponsors and AFL Tasmania. He has been instrumental in the club’s debt reduction campaign and he has overseen the Arden Street Oval redevelopment which was completed in February this year.

“I’m really thrilled and honoured to receive the scholarship and to have the endorsement of the AFL Commission. I’m very fortunate to be supported by great people at North Melbourne and the various stakeholders in Tasmania.  Also my family and the AFL Executive have been of great support to me during my time at North Melbourne,” he said.

The scholarship has been awarded by the AFL Commission since 2003 to recognise Graeme Samuel’s contribution to the game.

Graeme Samuel was one of the original AFL Commissioners when it was formed in 1984. He resigned from the Commission 2003 to take up the position of Chairman of the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission. Over two decades Graeme played an invaluable role in the strategic direction of the AFL competition and Australian football in general.

Previous recipients of the Graeme Samuel Scholarship:

? Trevor Nisbett, CEO, West Coast Eagles FC
? Steven Trigg, CEO, Adelaide FC
? Geoff Walsh, then CEO of North Melbourne FC and now Director of Football, Collingwood FC.
? Rob Threlfall, General Manager, Finance & Administration,  Geelong FC
? Justin Reeves, Director, Commercial Operations, Collingwood FC
? Simon Garlick, CEO, Western Bulldogs FC