
Dr Ken Michael has been Patron of the Watercolour Society of WA since 2014. His late wife, Julie Michael, was the Society’s previous Patron. The Society’s highest award at the Annual Awards Exhibition, is the Julie Michael Overall Winner Award in her memory.
Dr Michael was born in Perth, Western Australia, the son of immigrants from the island of Castellorizo in Greece.
He studied at Imperial College London and was a former Commissioner of Main Roads WA, a chairman of the East Perth Redevelopment Authority, a member of the Economic Regulation Authority, and was the Chancellor of the University of Western Australia.
Dr Michael was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996, and was elevated as a Companion in 2006. He was named Western Australian Citizen of the Year in 2001 and received the Centenary Medal in 2003 for service to the public, engineering and the Greek Community.
Dr Michael was Governor of Western Australia from 2006 until 2011.
In 2006 Michael was named the patron of the Fremantle Football Club, following in the footsteps of Lieutenant-General Sanderson who was also patron at Fremantle. He has been a member of the club since 1994 as an inaugural Quay Club member. Michael is also the state patron of The Boys’ Brigade and Chairman of the West Australian Cricket Association.