Dr Ray Marginson AM was born in Melbourne on 13 December 1923 and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne in 1946. While at university he was involved with the Socialist Study Group and later became a member and treasurer of the Victorian Fabian Society 1951-1953. He joined the Commonwealth Public Service on 20 July 1948 as a Research Clerk in the Central Administration Section of the Department of Transport. He was promoted to Executive Officer of the Australian Transport Advisory Council, and Personal Assistant to the Permanent Head of the Department in 1949. In 1950 Marginson joined the Postmaster General's Department as Research Officer then Senior Research Officer in the Director General's Office; Senior Finance Officer 1955-1959; Executive Officer in the Director General's Office 1959-1960; controller of the Finance Branch, Finance and General Services Division 1960-1964; Deputy Assistant Director General in the Finance and Accounting Branch of the Management Services Divisioin 1964-1966. In 1965 he was appointed Vice-Principal of the University of Melbourne, until his retirement in 1988. His many other roles have included Chairman of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MelbourneWater), President of the Museum of Victoria, a director of Geotrack International, Vice-Chairman of the Melbourne Theatre Company, member of the Howard Florey Institute and founding President of the Victorian Jazz Archive.