The employers association PIAA is in a period of major restructuring with several long time managers moving on and new people coming into new roles.
The association is also ending its 12 year stint in western Sydney, and is moving its national headquarters back close to the CBD, seeking offices in Chatswood.
Long time national communications, technology and creative services director Joe Kowaleski left the PIAA today and will not be replaced as his role is now redundant. The PR element of his role will be outsourced with PIAA making a decision on the agency by the end of this week. Other elements of his role will either be discontinued or split between new general manager for sales and marketing Sandrine Dart and new national sponsorship manager and NSW business development manager Tom Sullivan. Kowalewski had been with PIAA for 21 years.
In WA PIAA has appointed Katie Stokes as the WA state sales manager following Paul Nieuwhof’s resignation. Stokes has a background in sales and most recently was a BDM at the WA Chamber Commerce and Industry. Neiuwhof had been with PIAA for 17 years. In Victoria the acting state manager Jenny Berry resigned suddenly earlier this month, and has not yet been replaced.
With the appointment of Allen as the new CEO in July, and now Dart, Sullivan, and Stokes the top team at PIAA has changed significantly in the past three months with Bill Healey, Kowalewski, Nieuhof, Berry and Garry Knespal all leaving.
The association has put its Auburn HQ up for sale, although new CEO Jason Allen is not saying if the PIAA is looking to rent or buy the Chatswood offices. He says, “We are over-capitalised in Auburn with more space than we need, and too far away from the CBD, and from access for interstate members.
The impending move to Chatswood comes 12 years after the PIAA moved from its CBD offices and bought a stand-alone office block in Auburn, western Sydney, in what was said at the time was a move instigated to ‘be closer to its members’, although it caused the then CEO Garry Donnison to seek other employment.
The PIAA is also thought to be considering selling its offices in other state capitals and then renting.
Sandrine Dart, the new general manager of sales and marketing, is there to spearhead membership sales nationally. Allen says, “She has an extensive background in senior sales and marketing management roles and in event/video production.”
Tom Sullivan has joined the team as NSW business development and national sponsorship manager. Allen says, “Formerly publishing manager with Sterling Publishing he has a strong B2B sales background with a focus on sponsorship and membership sales and has worked extensively in developing customer service and team leadership models.”
Garry Knespal, former owner of GASAA which merged with the PIAA two years ago has also just left the association. Allen says, ““He has played an integral part in a number of key initiatives since the successful amalgamation of GASAA and Printing Industries in 2013 including the development of the association’s new websites and marketing material, as well as the development of our popular webinar programs. More recently he has worked on revamping the SGP environmental program and the new Letterbox Marketing Plus initiatives, which are now well in place.”
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