However, Ross's quiet demeanor masks a career that saw him lead the overseas student revolution in Australian education.

Born in Malvern in 1946, Ross attended Armadale Primary and Burwood Tech High.

He left school at age 14 to take up a cookery apprenticeship at William Anglis College, which he completed with distinction.

"I did my apprenticeship at the Oriental Hotel in Melbourne and this was followed by positions as chef at the Mornington Hotel and head chef at the Sheraton in Spring Street," Ross said.

"In 1971 I was asked by my old college to return to lecture."

Lecturing followed interspersed with a stint in the New Hebrides, setting up the catering outlets at the Victorian Arts Centre, acting as an advisor in the refurbishment of the Adelaide Festival Centre and then a similar role at the Brisbane Cultural Centre.

His time in Queensland coincided with the opening of the Gold Coast TAFE and Ross took on the role of setting up the Tourism and Hospitality Department, becoming the faculty's first director.

"The college had about 3500 students, some 1500 full time," Ross noted.

This was prior to the influx of international students, but Ross did organise student exchanges in hospitality and tourism to Okinawa in Japan and Noumea in New Caledonia.

"The Gold Coast students would spend a month in Noumea and three months in Japan," Ross said.

Around this time the value of international students to the state and national economy was being realised.

Ross set up and managed TAFE Queensland International.

"We brought in some 5500 students in three years, each one making a $24,000 input into the economy," he said.

The Queensland premier at the time, Peter Beattie, looking to streamline the process, set up the Queensland Education Training International (QETI) within the Premier's Department.

"I managed QETI for the next three years," Ross said.

"Beattie's aim was to double the income from international students to $1 billion within two years."

Ross worked with Queensland trade officials and AusTrade officials both in Australia and overseas.

During the World Trade Exhibition at Nagoya, one week was devoted to Queensland Education, and Ross had to organise the showcase.

"My other main role was to organise road shows for the minister and state officials to sell the message of Queensland as a destination for students," he said.

"We covered Japan from top to bottom, Eastern Europe, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong."

The road shows involved exhibits from universities, TAFEs and private providers with the minister and other officials pressing the flesh, to attract students to the state.

While manager of QETI Ross spent some six months living in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"I was tasked with researching why in these two countries, vocational education opportunities into Queensland were not being taken," he said.

"The answer was that the families of students wanted a degree or nothing."

On his return, Ross was made manager of the VET Export Office to promote and assist all vocation education providers with international business links.

"I worked with educational bodies who had incoming students or who provided offshore delivery," he said.

Life living out of a suitcase began to pale for Ross.

"The last few years of my working life, I spent half of each year overseas," he said.

"Planes and terminals and hotel rooms all look the same after a while."

In 2008 Ross retired and moved to Mansfield.

"I liked Brisbane, but I am a Melbourne boy," he said.

"Some 90 per cent of my family live around Mansfield and I used to come here on holidays and I loved the place."

Though retired, Ross does not just sit around, as volunteering has replaced his hectic life.

He is on the board of MACE and the committee of Cafe Connect, does meals on wheels and is a community visitor for the Public Advocates Office.

Though he is busy, Ross is happy with retirement.