The 72-year-old received an Order of Australia Medal in the 2015 Queen's Birthday honours list.

Mr Newing led the IRT Group to become the region's leading seniors lifestyle provider and one of the nation's most successful not-for-profit groups.

Mr Newing said he had agreed to volunteer for the IRT 30 years ago because it was a not-for-profit organisation. He has served on the board since 1995 and was chairman for 13 years, before which he worked on the IRT's finance committee.

"I feel honoured to be honest and quite humbled by it all," Mr Newing said. "I agreed to volunteer because the IRT is a community based organisation and the longer I was there the more committed I became."

At the IRT he helped establish a college to enhance the education opportunities for employees.

IRT chief executive Nieves Murray said Mr Newing recognised the need for ground-breaking innovation and change.

"He combined his genuine empathy for people with his outstanding business acumen to take the organisation on a journey which now provides care to almost 10,500 older people," she said. "Alan's visionary leadership has helped create communities where older people are respected, valued and supported to remain actively involved and make positive contributions."

Mr Newing, who grew up in Wollongong, worked as general manager of Heggies, a transport company in the Illawarra. In 1992, he was honoured with the Wollongong Business Person of the Year.

A Lifeline volunteer for almost 20 years, he has held roles at Figtree Anglican Church and was elected parish councillor in 2010.