Celarc, Eckersley join PIAA leadership

The PIAA is refreshing its board, having appointed Richard Celarc, executive chairman, Opus and Tom Eckersley, managing director, Eckersley Group in addition to Theo Pettaras, owner of Digitalpress.

On joining the board, Celarc says, “I have been in the industry for more than 40 years, Ligare turns 40 this year and I was one of the people that started it.

“The industry has been good to me, I think it is time I gave back.

“I like the new management, and structure of the board. Andrew has a good, young team with enthusiasm and ideas. I would like to think I can help them to make our industry more sustainable.

“Now is a good time to become part of the organisation, I have been a member my whole working life. I have a good work/life balance, and it is a good time to contribute, and mentor the younger guys. I can see some good experience on the board, mixed between young and old.”

Eckersley of Brisbane based Eckersley Group says, “I always have been involved in the industry and in the association in some way.

“Print is in a period of the greatest change it has ever seen in the last ten years. I am hoping we will be able to aid in the betterment of print businesses as they address that change.”

[Related: Pettaras joins PIAA board]

Walter Kuhn, owner of Kuhn Corp and president of the PIAA is the board’s only other member from Queensland, occupying one of two national seats, while Eckersley is taking the regional seat for the state.

Eckersley adds, “There are common concerns throughout the country but there are issues such as training which run on a state level. Others are managed nationally.

“There will be challenges in addressing the concerns of an ever growing and diversifying industry. We will look to harness the different factions of print in our work.

Pettaras says, “We should be showcasing print and promoting print and that we should not see each other as competitors. We should see social media and online marketing as our biggest threat as competitors but if we can reach out to fellow printers that is my aim – to talk about the importance of print.

“Having gone through a transition myself, I understand the difficulties that businesses go through. I do not know all of the answers but with my experience I can give back and make a difference.

“There has been a new change of the guard at the PIAA – it is now fresh, dynamic and exciting and there is ever a time for me to join this is the time and I am excited about it.”

On Print to Parliament, the PIAA’s event hosting printers and politicians in Canberra, Eckersley adds, “It is a great initiative and should be something we replicate. It is a good opportunity to raise the profile of our industry. Our members who were not able to attend can still follow up with their local and state members as part of the lobbying process.”

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