Hayden Park was the National Australia Bank's head of communications for Australia. He held other senior positions, including head of collections and Group Manager, Corporate Affairs, for that bank. His 37-year career spanned a range of retail and commercial positions.

Park first entered the public domain in 1982 as head of the public relations function for the NAB, which had just been formed from the merger of the CBC and the National Bank. He was responsible for the development of the new bank's corporate identity, as well as the development and implementation of its media relations plan.

Park played a highly visible and strategic role during a tumultuous period in Australian banking. Financial deregulation following the Campbell Inquiry, as well as technological changes, created particular public relations and operational challenges. These included bank mergers, the entry of foreign banks, ATMs, EFTPOS and telephone call centres, combined with dramatically rising bank mortgages. As NAB spokesperson Park became, by default, the representative for the banking industry as a whole.

Park also lectured on media management and public relations at the Public Relations Institute at Monash University.

Peer recognition came in 1994 with the Public Relations Institute of Australia award for outstanding contribution by a public relations practitioner in investor/financial relations.

Park was an ardent believer in the 'service-profit chain' philosophy. He claimed that 'Happy and well-informed staff who talk to the community will develop an equally satisfied and well-informed customer base, which in turn drives strong business outcomes.'

Following his retirement from banking, Park moved into consulting.

Hayden Park was named on NU 20802, Medal - Paul Simon Memorial Award, Numismatic Association of Victoria, Australia, 1986. The medal was inscribed in error. Ray Jewell, Foundation President of the Numismatic Association of Australia, had been talking to Hayden Park on the telephone just before he made the arrangements to have the medal inscribed. He accidentally gave Park's name instead of the name of the correct recipient, Haydn Powell. The incorrectly engraved medal was given to Museum Victoria, and another medal inscribed. The new medal was presented to Powell in late 1986 or early 1987.

References:
Australian Institute of Banking and Finance web site http://www.aibf.com.au/journal/hayden_park.htm, accessed 4/2/2004.

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