PIAA to move, appoints new roles

The PIAA’s long-time communications manager Joe Kowalewski has left association in a period of change for the employers group, which includes selling its Auburn premises and relocating to a new location in Chatswood. Kowalewski will leave the association today after a long 21 year career with the PIAA, working with six CEOs in his time.

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Joe Kowalewski, communications manager at PIAA

Speaking with Australian Printer, Jason Allen, who was recently appointed as the CEO of Printing Industries, did not divulge why Kowalewski was leaving or when the decision for him to leave was made, saying those ‘details don’t matter’. Allen says, “As I have said before the association is going through a restructure and Joe was part of that restructure. Joe understands that. “We are moving into a new era and making the association more commercial and marketing focused rather than its communication and marketing style. “This is why we announced the new role of the general manager Sandrine Dart, who will focus on sales and marketing, last month, of which Joe was fully aware.” Allen says Kowalewski’s departure was celebrated with the staff last night and wished him all the best in the future. “Joe has had a long and distinguished career serving six CEOs during his time and becoming an integral part of just about every project and service the association has developed,” he says. “His current role included wide ranging portfolios encompassing our communications and media liaison, website development and management, participation at major events such as PrintEx and Pacprint, our Better Business partner relationships, webinar program, publications and newsletters, liaising with other industry associations locally and in the USA, and providing advice to members across a wide range of issues. “More recently he added industry research to his portfolio producing the Web-2-Print report and laying the groundwork for an expansion of research as a service, again demonstrating his exceptional adaptability and commitment.”

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Jason Allen, CEO of Printing Industries

In other changes Allen says new recruit Katie Stokes will be taking up the WA State sales manager role following Paul Nieuwhof’s resignation. Stokes has a background in sales and most recently was a BDM at the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Acting state manager Victoria and Tasmania, Jenny Berry, resigned earlier this month and recruitment for a suitable replacement is continuing. Sydney office accounts business support officer, Michelle Staszak, will also not make the move to Chatswood and has resigned after some nine years with the association. She will work on until a suitable replacement is found. Whether the new Chatswood centre is going to be bigger or smaller is also not known. And Allen does not want to say whether it will be rented or purchased due to a ‘confidentiality agreement’. Allen says “The size doesn’t matter. It never matters. It is what we can do with the size that will matter and that is what we are focusing on. We will have a wide range of activities in the new Chatswood centre in the future.” The Auburn site is currently up for sale and the move to the new office location in Help Street, Chatswood is expected to be completed by late-November.

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