Victoria’s Ron Patterson and Tasmania’s Peter Clark have secured PIAA board positions for their respective states in what has been described by Patterson as a shock result.
Patterson, the former Victorian state secretary of the PIAA is making his return to the association following his exit in 2012.
Describing his thoughts on the election result, Patterson says, “A lot of people in Victoria and Tasmania were shocked but the members had their say and it is their choice in the end.
“The PIAA board have a strategic plan that I have not seen, but I look forward to getting my feet under the desk. I have spoken to a few other board members and I am thrilled to bits about the whole thing and really looking forward to it.”
Patterson beat out his opposition, CEO of Finsbury Green Peter Orel who says, “I wish the new board well and look forward to seeing the PIAA continue to evolve and improve its services to members.”
In Tasmania, Mark Media general manager Martin Guilliamse admits he did not expect a defeat.
“I am just surprised,” he says. “I wish Clark all the best, I rang him to congratulate him and hopefully he can take the PIAA in a direction that becomes more member-focused.”
Clark tells Australian Printer he is grateful for the support of his fellow Tasmanian printers.
“I am looking forward to the next stage and firstly I want to learn a bit more about the internal workings of the PIAA,” he says.
“The printing industry has a lot of challenges ahead, the recent merger between PMP and IPMG is a good example of what is currently happening.”
PIAA president Kieran May says Patterson and Clark will bring new perspectives to the experience possessed by the current board members.
“Clark is an experienced business builder, and his continuing involvement as a consultant to printers of the region has kept him abreast of many of the technological changes which are an everyday feature of our industry,” May says.
“Patterson has maintained contact with a significant number of members since his time as an employee of the association, and I am sure will turn the insights of those members into a valuable contribution to the collective knowledge of the board.
“While we must congratulate the successful candidates, it would be remiss of me to forget the contribution of both Guilliamse and Orel. Both added to the debate and I am sure members will be pleased to have had an opportunity to exercise a choice.”
Patterson and Clarke will join unopposed members Walter Kuhn (QLD), Matt Aitken (NSW), Peter Lane (SA), Graham Jamieson (WA), and current PIAA president May (ACT) in the new board that forms on January 1.
The next stage of the election will see the board members elect amongst themselves a president, vice president, treasurer and honorary secretary.
The ballot for this opens on December 16 and the positions will be announced on January 13.
An issue of concern for the PIAA will be that only eight votes were made in Tasmania, and only 61 in Victoria.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter