John Shadforth has been a prominent businessman on the Sunshine Coast for 35 years, building the Shadforth Dickson group of companies known for their success in property development. John is a founding member of the University’s Foundation Board, serving from 1999-2017. He is a donor and a major catalyst for friend-raising and fundraising for the University. John’s advocacy for the appointment of paid staff in the University Foundation has resulted in several million dollars being raised over a decade. In 2009, John founded the Encouragement Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building pathways of encouragement for people to strive for excellence and to assist financially disadvantaged young people in Australia and developing countries, including funding scholarships for USC students.