The PIAA Board has chosen former deputy president Ross Black as its new president effective immediately, replacing ex-president David Leach who resigned last week. At the same time there has been another shock resignation, with Snap Printing CEO Stephen Edwards has announcing he will be leaving the board with immediate effect. Edwards departure means that three Board members have resigned in the past two months, with the Snap CEO joining Leach and Susan Heaney out of the exit door, leaving six members of the original nine man board still in place. On the Board Keiran May will step into the role of deputy president and Craig Pearce will take over the role of honorary secretary, both are current Board members. Edwards says he has left the position to give full attention to his role as director on the Snap Board and global CEO. The PIAA reports the search for a new CEO is still underway with the recruitment process continuing.
New president Ross Black (left) and resigned board member Stephen Edwards (right)
PIAA CEO Jason Allen addressed Edwards’s resignation by also announcing a new strategy to engage with members. Last week PIAA members blamed a breakdown in communication as the cause of friction that ultimately led to president David Leach’s shock departure. “Without a doubt, the PIAA has benefited greatly from the works and efforts of Stephen and David,” Allen says. ‘“We would also like to take this opportunity to announce an imminent engagement plan with members to capitalise on the planned roadshows in every state, to elaborate on the future plans and commit to ensuring it is executed.” New president Ross Black says the Board welcomes greater communication with members and supports a PIAA engagement plan in 2016. “The Board acknowledges that previous communication and information has sometimes been siloed in its delivery. While communication and information has been released in regular bulletins, for some members this may not have come under notice and the 2016 objective for the Board is to ensure we explore all types of communication channels…” he says. Allen and Black have not yet disclosed the details of the engagement plan. Members have complained a major source of the communication breakdown between the board and members was the PIAA’s failure to outline details of its other ‘three year plan’ mentioned in a letter sent to members last week. Black says the new board members have the necessary skills and will complement the skills of existing board members. Black adds the PIAA will also promote gender equality and will be elevating more women into board positions in the future. He says, “While losing directors with the skill, experience and foresight of Susan Heaney, David Leach and Stephen Edwards leaves a big hole, we are confident the new leadership structure will drive our vision to provide high quality and high value services to our existing and future members.”
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