Although intending to continue as the ITO advisory board’s chairman, Smyth (pictured) was to only provide interim administrative assistance to newly-appointed Sign School tutor Sally Davis.

However, Davis has since been offered a position with the Creative Trades ITO that NZSDA secretary Brian Fairchild says “she can’t refuse”. Fairchild says that the appointment will have flow-on effects in the signage industry.

Smyth is to “step back into the breach” while the NZSDA finds another replacement.

Commenting on Smyth’s pending retirement in the association’s recent newsletter, NZSDA national president Ross Probert said he had made a “huge contribution” to the training of sign writers and the sign industry over the past 35 years.

“His efforts behind the scenes have enabled the setting up of the unit standard from 1995 through to the establishment of the new Sign School,” said Probert.

“Ian has been at the forefront of the sign advisory group, helping with the formulation of strategies and business plans for our industry training through the ITO, from its inception.”

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