Hi Sainters
For local footy clubs to thrive & survive, it takes special people to volunteer their time and special people to sponsor clubs and the NRFC are so grateful that Steve Wootten is both.
Steve has been a “Major Sponsor” at our club for a few years now, with his business logo for “Dynamic Retail Solutions” sitting proudly on the sleeve of our brand new Club Polos for 2021 and also for the second year on the back of our Senior Women’s Jumpers.
In his own words, “I am silly enough to own two companies in Dynamic Retail Solutions & Crew Services Group Australia and luckily enough for our club, Steve is silly enough to have both businesses sponsoring our club!
Both businesses are built around Steve’s first job as a teenage when he landed a job at Coles Supermarkets in 1986 as a trolley boy after school and on weekends. Before he knew it, Steve had clocked up 21 Years at Coles, with 12 of those years at Coles Myer Head Office in Senior Management roles.
So in 2008 after 21 Years with the Coles/Myer Group, Steve started up both businesses in the retail industry in sectors that he knows quite a bit about, even though he admits with a smile on his face, “Some would argue against that point”.
“Dynamic Retail Solutions” is a business where they teach small to medium size Aussie companies how to get their products on the shelves of retailers in Australia and abroad. The business employs predominantly ex-buyers that understand what the buying fraternity are looking for and coach manufactures how to get their products “retail ready” before they present the products on their behalf to the buyers.
“Crew Services Group” is a National merchandising company that employs approx 1100 people around Australia and has gone through a rapid growth period in the last 5 years working for companies such as Woolworths, Bunning’s’ Officeworks, Dan Murphy’s & BWS just to name a few offering their services in Retail & Commercial Store Refits, Planogram Implementation, POS Audits & Implementation, Merchandising and Brand Ambassadors with their mission to “Provide their customers & Crew Members with the most exceptional experience.
The Wootten Family have a long standing association with the NRFC, going back to 1978 when Steve joined our Junior Club back in its first year. Steve’s 3 younger brothers also played at the Junior Club and knowing they were going to be there for some time with 4 boys, Steve’s parents become heavily involved with the club being active on the Junior Committee for many years, with his Dad, Norm becoming Club President and his Mum, Betty becoming the Secretary in the 80’s. Unfortunately Steve did not consider himself good enough to play at our Senior Club and due to Steve’s business career taking off, he didn’t have the time to commit to what was required by the Senior Coach, so is happy to admit he became “an exceptional bench warmer in the 2’s at Croydon North”. Steve later joined Mt Lilydale for their first season in 1997 staying there till 2004.
Moving forward to 2012, Steve, Wife Jacki and their 4 children, Summer, Jesse, Mahli and Cleo moved back to the North Ringwood area and 8 years after hanging up his boots and winding up a stella football career, the family was back on the Junior oval with Jesse starting with our Auskick and not being able to sit still or take a backseat, Steve & Jacki stuck their hands up to help volunteer their time taking on roles like the “Chef cook’s of the BBQ”, whipping up a mean sausage in bread! Daughter Summer played in the first Under 12 Girls team and son Jesse has played since Auskick and is currently in our Under 11A’s side, which he is very proud of. Jesse also plays for the North Ringwood Bulls Cricket Club in the Under 12’s, who were also Runners Ups this season. Basically you will see the Wootten tribe most weekends at either North Ringwood or Quambee Reserve.
Steve was asked, “Why do you enjoy most about being part of our Saints Family and Community”? With his hand on heart, Steve replied, “I mentioned to Jacki, that as a Club, the North Ringwood Community would embrace our family and likewise we should embrace the club and the best way I would like to do this, is to sponsor both the Juniors & the Seniors and also the Senior Women’s sides”. Steve also went on to say, “They had made some terrific friends at the club and have been made to feel very welcome by everyone there”.
Steve, Jacki along with their businesses, Dynamic Retail Solutions & Crew Services Group are now major Sponsors of both the Junior & Senior clubs and you will always see their Son, Jesse, chatting with all the coaches, Senior Players and families around the club. Steve did also mention that you will always see his kids hanging around his back pocket to get money to go to the canteen also! lol.
Steve along with everything else he does for our club has also very generously put on and sponsored and will also host the Senior Clubs “2021 Season Launch”.
No words will ever be enough to be able to thank Steve and his family’s passion for our club and what they have contributed to help our club get to where we are today.
The NRFC are honoured and privilege to have the Wootten Family as part of our wonderful community.
We now know all about Dynamic Retail Solutions & Crew Services Group and an insight to the Wootten’s involvement with our club, but I am pretty sure there will be a few things in the below “30 Seconds with Steve” that you didn’t know about him!
Enjoy!!
What AFL Team do you support? – The Mighty Hawks
Favourite Holiday destination? – Broome by a mile, an amazing place
What was your favourite toy as a kid? – My Dragster
What is your favourite love song? – Anything by Air Supply, went to their last concert, who wouldn’t!
Which TV sitcom family would you like to be part of? – Full House
If you could trade lives with someone, who would it be? – Dermie. I played for the Hawks on the G in a corporate game and wore my Dermie wig back in 2015
If you could be part of one event from history, which one would it be? – Muhammad Ali – Rumble in the Jungle
What would you like to be talented at? – Playing the Saxophone
Who is the most annoying person at the club you would like the cops to arrest? – Phil Harris
What is your favourite pizza topping? – Meat Lovers
Where was the most inappropriate/embarrassing place you farted? – over the speaker at Coles, Chirnside Park
Do you remember your Wedding Date? – A cracking day on 24/11/07. The day Kev 07 beat little Johnny Howard, even though Howard was the best l have seen
How would you spend your last $100? – A slab of Carlton Dry for me, a bottle of bubbles for Jacki and some softies for the kids
Cheers Steve, Jacki & the Wootten Family, you are legends of our club!