Every experienced manager knows that engaged employees are crucial to a team successfully achieving their goals. But even if your intuition tells you that is the case, you may not realise just how much employees who are engaged with the company and their job responsibilities matter in helping your company achieve its business goals.

Engaged workers stand apart from their non-engaged counterparts at the office – who doesn’t love the new motivation they bring to everything? They’re more likely to go the extra mile, bringing passion to every task that they undertake. In contrast, disengaged employees are not only commonly unhappy at work, but they also monopolise a manager’s time as they need supervision to ensure they’re carrying out their daily responsibilities (and no-one likes to have to be a micro-manager!)

Engaged employees are a rare find; in fact, a recent Gallup global study found that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work. It’s not all negative though; disengaged employees are perhaps one of the greatest untapped opportunities a business has to improve their performance and productivity. Converting these employees into engaged workers takes an effective strategy – so we’ve put together the top six things you can provide that will get your people more engaged.

1. Effective Leaders

Engagement comes from the top, so it’s important to coach managers on how to implement an engagement plan into the office and how to track its performance. No employee’s going to stay engaged if their manager isn’t, so managers and company executives must set an example of the behaviours in which you want your employees to display. The NY Times reported that in companies where leaders model the desired behaviour, employees were 55% more engaged and likely to mimic these desired behaviours.

Effective leadership involves being accessible and approachable. In other words, don’t lock management away in a secret part of the office away where employees can’t easily find them, with the only form of communication over emails. Instead, to avoid an “us versus them” mentality, offer guidance and commendation and support to employees, and publically recognise their achievements either at staff meetings or via your company’s intranet.

2. Open Dialogue

One strategy for building employee engagement is by using an effective employee survey. An appropriate survey encourages open and honest communication between the employees and management. Use specific and relevant questions that create actionable responses. Don’t fall into the trap of simply collecting a large amount of data that gets no response – no-one likes their feedback to be ignored!

Make engagement a priority by discussing the results of a recent survey at meetings and keep them up to date with future improvements that can be made within the company or the team. It’s vital to keep employees involved in the process so they can see their voice is being heard. By involving employees in decision-making and taking the time to listen to their suggestions they feel that they have a say in the company’s operations. The result? In most cases, they’ll become more personally invested in their work – which is exactly what you’re after.

3. Opportunity for growth

Employees who are left to their day-to-day activities day on end or left to fend for themselves when it comes to training and development are likely to fast become disengaged employees who may end up resenting their workplace. On the other hand, employees who are being continuously challenged and are given opportunities to further their learnings and grow in their chosen career field are more likely to show higher levels of commitment to the company and to their job tasks. And with millennials going to become the majority of the workforce over the coming years, it’s worth paying attention to the 87% of them who say that career growth or development opportunities are important to them!

Managers should be encouraged to talk to their employees often about their career plan and where they feel the gaps are, or alternatively, what new skills they want to learn and how the company can make this possible. Ultimately, this shows that the company cares about helping the employee maintain job satisfaction and that they are a valued asset to the company.

4. Supportive Environment

The New York Times shared that employees are 67% more engaged when their supervisors take an active interest in supporting the employee with their roles and future opportunities. By creating an appreciative atmosphere, employees feel more compelled to complete their roles to a higher standard because they know their work is appreciated by management. Employees also feel safe to go to their manager for guidance with a particular task that they are unsure about. Overall, a supportive atmosphere creates trust, restores strained relationships, develops pride and dissolved frustration.

5. Improved Communication

Communication is key within any environment, and, as has already become clear through the other secrets to increasing employee engagement, it’s something that needs to increase across the board. Improving communication to increasing employee engagement has become one of the central purposes for implementing tools such as an intranet within a company. Intranets are an excellent solution to the lack of engagement with employees, as they offer tools that foster communication, collaboration and participation across all departments and employees within a company. There are a number of features a company can include when developing an intranet such as forums for open informal communication, calendars detailing events and meetings, feedback surveys to connect employees with managers, and a company newsfeed to keep employees informed of updates and employee achievements. Overall, these communication features enable a business to better connect with its employees and employees to better connect with other employees – leading to a productive and engaged workforce.

6. Meaningful Work

When employees believe that their work is important and has value to the company, they are more likely to be more engaged. One of a manager’s responsibilities is to frequently reinforce the importance of an employee’s contributions and reward them for their outstanding work. When employees feel as though they are making positive and meaningful contributions to the company, they start taking pride in the results of their efforts and productivity soars. The direct communication between employees and managers about their work efforts and other responsibilities creates a connection between an employee’s task and the company’s success – where even the smallest task has some positive effect.

A highly engaged workforce means the difference between a company that thrives and one that struggles. According to Gallup, higher workplace engagement leads to 37% lower absenteeism, 41% fewer safety incidents, and 41% fewer quality defects, so it’s worth the effort. Don’t let your workforce fall into the 87% of employees who aren’t engaged. Help your company stand out from the pack and actively make engagement part of your company’s strategy to success.

This article was originally sourced from Business 2 Community. 

To meet a generational shift in membership, the Washington State Association for Justice hired an executive director who looked like its younger members.

What happens when the heavenly bodies align? We get the jaw-dropping beauty of this week’s total solar eclipse (or, in my case, a near-total solar eclipse) which makes us stop and think for a moment about our existence in the universe.

While it’s no solar eclipse, an alignment of leadership and membership can produce a similar “a-ha moment” for your association—something the Washington State Association for Justice is currently experiencing.

About a year ago, in response to increasing generational shifts among its 2,400 members, WSAJ decided to hire a young CEO: 34-year-old Liz Berry.

In our July/August issue of Associations Now, I profiled Berry’s quick ascent to leadership, along with two other executive directors (ages 40 and under). But what that story didn’t really touch upon was how young leaders can be uniquely positioned to empathize with the needs of younger members.

Berry calls it “leadership reflective of membership,” and she practices this daily by walking the walk of a new generation of lawyers who think, act, and work differently.

Whereas previous generations of members felt like they had a sense of duty to join WSAJ, the millennial generation is asking, “Why should I join?”

“For a while there was a real fear that baby boomers were retiring and millennials might not join,” Berry says. “We are finding new ways to inspire, excite, and give younger members a reason to join.”

One of Berry’s biggest advantages, she says, is her age. She has helped to grow a new crop of members, the largest being a segment of lawyers who are six to 15 years out of law school. As a millennial, she empathizes with WSAJ’s younger members, many of whom face new career and employment challenges.

Currently, many of them are graduating from law school with huge amounts of debt, and they’re finding it difficult to enter traditional career paths in the legal profession.

That dynamic has led to a new membership trend—professionals who are skipping law firm life and launching small, independent firms. Berry calls these members “the solos,” and they typically don’t have access to the resources or networking that law firms or senior partners provide.

“These are people who are on their couches setting up a law firm,” Berry says. “I’m thinking about them and how WSAJ can be their go-to resource and senior partner.”

ON-DEMAND BENEFITS

To better serve both its new and longtime members, WSAJ started on a modernization effort. The association is in the process of prioritizing member services that can be delivered digitally, so that members have 24/7 access to benefits.

“A lot of it has to do with the resources that members can access anywhere,” Berry says. “I’m thinking about the member that needs a document on their iPad at 2 a.m. in Hong Kong.”

To do this, WSAJ overhauled its website and database to make many of its resources mobile- and digital-friendly, including a community listserv and a document exchange database that has more than 3,500 depositions, briefs, and forms.

Berry also credits a new member committee with helping to shape resources and events specifically for younger members, such as new member toolkits and its Getting Started Series.

VALUE-ADD MEETINGS

While member benefits may be shifting digitally, Berry says younger members still want the experience of high-impact, in-person events.

Earlier this month, WSAJ’s convention in Vancouver broke attendance records by piggybacking off events happening in the host city at the same time. The meeting coincided with the city’s pride festival, which is the largest parade in Western Canada.

While that might seem like a logistical headache for meeting planners, Berry says it actually brought in an outside source of energy to the meeting experience.

“Pride weekend was an absolute game changer. Our young members loved it,” Berry says. “I think they also want to go to urban environments with tons of opportunities to network and explore.”

Another key is keeping the meeting convenient and budget-friendly to members. Next year, WSAJ will move its convention back to Seattle because the majority of its members come from the surrounding three-county region.

“We are stepping it up in small but significant ways …,” Berry says. “We are thinking about how to create experiences that are exciting even if it’s in our own backyard.”

This has allowed Berry the room she needs to lead confidently and pragmatically alongside a 51-member board of governors who often are twice her age.

“For my leadership to select a leader, like me, that looks like this generation is key,” Berry says. “It’s showing an investment and care for what that next generation looks like.”

This article was originally sourced from Associations Now.  

The Australian Medical Council (AMC), an independent national standards body for medical education and training, has appointed Mr Philip Pigou as its new Chief Executive Officer.  

Mr Pigou has been involved in medial regulation, accreditation and education in New Zealand over many years. He has been CEO of the MCNZ since 2005 and held other senior leadership roles in the health sector in New Zealand over 20 years.

AMC President, Associate Professor Jillian Sewell AM, described Mr Pigou as a long-term friend of the AMC.

"Mr Pigou's insight into indigenous health issues through his work with Maori and Pacific Island people, as well as his understanding of change and project management, strategy development, and leadership will be invaluable in the next, new chapter for the AMC", Associate Professor Sewell said. 

"His collaborative approach and commitment to strengthening the AMC as a values-based and innovative organisation will underpin our future work", she said. 

AMC Directors thanked Mr Frank for his remarkable contribution to the AMC over nearly three decades. Mr Frank joined the AMC in 1988 and has been Chief Executive since 1991. Under his leadership, the AMC has grown into an internationally recognised assessment, accreditation and standards setting body. 

Under Mr Frank's leadership, the AMC has: 

• Secured a reputation as a world leader in medical education and accrediation
• Transformed and modernised the assessment of international medical graduates, including by establishing the world-class Vernon Marshal National Test Centre in Melbourne
• Strengthened the accreditation capability of the AMC so it now accredits 126 primary and specialist medical programs offered by 37 education providers across Australia and New Zealand
• Ensured the voice of the community is heard on every AMC committee and all AMC-sponsored or auspiced projects and
• Started a dialogue with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to ensure the AMC makes the most meaningful and substanial contribution it can to improving indigenous health Australia-wide. 

The Association for Data-driven Marketing & Advertising (ADMA) today announced an organisational restructure that will see all four of its existing associations and education arm operate under a broader business network known as the Australian Alliance for Data Leadership (AADL).

Over the past year, ADMA acquired and established three additional associations representing essential aspects - along with marketing - of data-driven business and communications:

• Digital + Technology Collective (D+TC) - digital and technology
• Institute of Analytics Professionals of Australia (IAPA) - analytics and data science
• Data Governance Australia (DGA) - data use and governance

Each association has a common thread - data and the customer - but with a different angle and representing a different business division and professional community. Each has its own core focus, objectives and member communities that champion their association goals. Under the new network, each association also retains its current Board to ensure full representation of the industry.

ADMA members benefit from the broader network's reach into every area of business. The new AADL network incorporates over 1,000 Australian companies and 50,000 individuals across the four associations.

As ADMA and its sister associations continue to grow, so does the need to adopt a new structure that aligns the associations with a common thread - but also allows each organisation to have its own strong voice and purpose. This has therefore resulted in the move to have all associations underpinned by the AADL network.

This new structure will put all four associations under a level-playing field, ensuring that they can work collaboratively on data-driven issues and extend out to other areas of business. This will also allow the associations to benefit from a shared services model to ensure maximum efficiency and member value.

Says Jodie Sangster, CEO, AADL: "The role of data has extended so it fuels all aspects of business. It is not enough to look at just data and marketing, but instead provide leadership across how data plays a role in business. The new network of associations allows us to do just that. ADMA will continue to go from strength to strength - but this new structure also allows marketers who have a broader business perspective to gain further knowledge, network and support into analytics, digital and data governance. For our three other associations, they are no longer confined by the shackles of marketing but can now expand and grow as a cross business discipline with digital, analytics and governance represented at the broadest levels."

Current chair of ADMA and CMO of Uber Australia, Steve Brennen, will serve as interim chairman of AADL.

Says Brennen: "We see this as a clear way forward for our members who have told us how critical data is for their business now, and into the future. Data is the key to unlocking the digital economy and our new structure provides the environment - both broad and deep - for our members to be successful."

The new AADL Board will comprise of the chair of ADMA, D+TC and IAPA as well as four new appointees - experienced directors that represent aspects of the broader industry.

This article was originally sourced from Campaign Brief.

Social media use is an ever increasing form of communication for many people in both their personal and professional lives. It presents people with many benefits in allowing them to communicate a variety of messages to many people with great speed and efficiency. However, those benefits need to be balanced with the many risks social media presents.

There are endless examples where people appear to have not stopped and thought before they’ve posted on social media. Poorly considered social media posts can and do affect the personal and professional reputation and image of individuals as well as a businesses; even if the post isn’t directly related to a business.

The following tips will assist individuals and businesses manage their risks when using social media.

Have a business plan for how and why social media is to be used
When deciding whether or not to create a business social media presence, it’s very easy to think ‘if everyone else is doing it, so should I’. However there needs to be greater thought put into this decision. The decision to use social media should be well thought out and based on a company’s needs and business plans; the benefits and risks need to be considered.

Business social media should be based on business requirements, not personal views
Business owners and managers need to be sure that when they make a decision on whether to use social media for their business, this decision is based on the needs of the organisation, not the owner’s/manager’s personal views of social media. For example, a person who chooses to not use Twitter for personal use may still decide it’s a great tool for them professionally. Business decisions and personal decisions regarding social media use should be separated.

Create clear business guidelines and processes regarding who is able to post on social media and how this is to be done
Due to the risks associated with social media interactions, it’s very important that businesses have a clear process for who is responsible for posting on social media. The person undertaking this role needs to understand when social media is an appropriate form of communication and what sort of messages are to be shared using social media. This process should also provide guidance on how often social media is monitored and responded to and how to respond to negative comments.

Consider training for those staff responsible for social media
It’s often assumed that young people are well versed in social media use however this isn’t always the case. Also, not all users of social media understand appropriate business use and its associated risks. Therefore it’s worth considering training in social media communications and its risks for the responsible staff members.

Understand the social media site you’re using
There’s a wide variety of social media sites available to businesses, all providing similar yet different benefits. When a business is using any of these sites, it’s very important they understand the various functions within that site. Not fully understanding how a site works is going to increase the risks of using it.

Consider what messages should be shared using social media
All businesses have various ways in which they communicate with their customers and clients. Social media is generally designed for short sharp messages, yet not all information suits this style of communication. When businesses are communicating with their customers, they need to carefully consider how that particular message should be shared.

Carefully consider the implications of engaging with clients on social media
Professionals and businesses should consider if social media is an appropriate forum for them to be communicating with clients, both through business or personal accounts. Engagement through personal accounts can blur professional boundaries. When using business accounts, some conversations may not suit social media, especially if the conversation appears in a public setting. It’s important to consider what conversations are best had away from social media and when to take a discussion off line.

Understand that you can no longer separate personal and professional use
Unfortunately many people hold a view that what they write within a personal social media account in their own time will have no bearing or impact on them professionally. However this is not the case. Whether fair or not, professionals are always representing their profession and professional self and therefore this needs to be considered before any personal post is made.

Don’t believe that any post is ever private
Too often people post information on social media which they intended to remain private and not be seen widely. However social media can never truly be private. Many online groups claim to be private and state that members require approval. However non-approved users don’t need to be particularly savvy to access these groups and then share or copy information being posted. Professionals need to remember that if they don’t want their colleagues, clients or competitors seeing a social media post, it should never be posted on either personal or business accounts.

Never post in haste, all posts need to be carefully considered
As mentioned earlier, social media is designed for quick short messages to be shared widely. This means social media can encourage messages to be shared with little thought or planning which on occasions leads to poorly worded messages which are easily misinterpreted. It’s important to pause and think through a message before it’s shared.

For more information, please speak with a Guild Insurance Account Manager on 1800 810 213.

The boss has laid it down and said I can no longer attend our AuSAE luncheons for the delicious food, meeting new members and reminiscing with old members anymore – I need to do some work! So here is a wrap up of the second Networking Lunch Series for AuSAE this year.

AuSAE’s second Networking Lunch series for the year has just wrapped up with the last event held in Canberra on 31 July. This year our Networking Lunch events have been themed across all states: our first series held in March focused on the theme of “Leadership and navigating leadership through a changing external environment”. The most recent series in July focused on the topic “Member Engagement – Remaining Relevant in a Society of Choice”.

Associations are now operating in a fiercely competitive environment – likeminded people can interact, meet and join their own groups on Facebook, you can be a part of advocacy campaigns on any social media platform and information is everywhere. With so many changes in market, technology and social shifts the look and feel of membership is a changing organism – so how do we remain relevant and engage our members?

Our guest speakers in AuSAE’s second round of Networking Luncheons looked into these questions and provided insights into how their organisations are tackling member engagement.

Richard Stokes, Executive Director, Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) and Tom Dunsmore, General Manager, ABSA kicked off the second lunch series in Brisbane on 11 July (Richard also spoke at the Perth luncheon). Richard and Tom spoke about ABSA’s journey and how they have kept 100% membership over the last four years. With a long list of member engagement activities – Richard and Tom talked about how they manage demands, prioritise and avoid burnout. Tom summarised a great presentation by simply saying “speak to your members, ask them what they want, visit them as much as you can face to face. Sometimes seeing them and giving your time is the most important member engagement strategy you can have.”

The AuSAE team then headed south to Sydney, the second event in the series with speaker, Martin Thomas, Operations Manager at St John Ambulance Australia NSW (Marty also spoke at the Canberra luncheon). Marty focused on how “marketing and communications is everything – if we can’t communicate the story then you won’t get the engagement. Find your best channel for your membership base and focus on that”.

Next up was Melbourne on the 25 July with guest speaker, Anthony Tassone, President, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victoria. Anthony shared great insights into the Guild and its methods for maintaining high member engagement. Anthony delivered key takeaways from his presentation particularly around marketing and communication strategies:

• “The best asset you have is your members – and the great things they are achieving and doing. Ensure you use them and those stories in your messaging and communications.”
• Anthony also emphasised the reminder that content is king – if you can, write as much content as you can for your members.
• Don’t forget about hard copy and the role it plays for engagement with members.
• My personal favourite take away from this lunch and the one I will leave with you is “Too many tweets, makes a twat”. Be visible on social media platforms but ensure you know your limit.

I then flew into Adelaide for lunch with guest presenter Kerrie Akkermans, CEO, Girl Guides SA. Like the other luncheons before hers Kerrie’s key message was focused on communications. Kerrie looked at how associations can leverage technology and still deliver meaningful communications to members. She discussed the importance of balancing your on and off line communications and how there is still a place for both when it comes to member engagement. “If you can it’s important to segment your communications as much as possible. Look at generational categorisation and if you can, segment further based on people’s personality characteristics”.

As you can see there was a definite trend across the speakers and the six events – if you can focus on anything look at your communications and marketing to members. Tell your story, listen to them and be heard.

Now I best do a bit of promotion around our next series of Networking Luncheons (keep the boss happy). AuSAE’s last and final series for the year will take place in October, and will focus on the theme of “The Next Gen – Is your Organisation Ready for the Next Generation”. We have a fantastic line up of speakers for this series, I have included links below to each state and I hope I can enjoy a drink with you, have a chat and see you soon in October.

To register for our upcoming Networking Lunches in October, please click on the below:  

Sydney - Wednesday 4 October

Brisbane - Thursday 5 October

Canberra - Monday 9 October

Perth - Wednesday 11 October 

Melbourne - Tuesday 24 October

Written by Kerrie Green, Events and Communications Manager, AuSAE

Communication in the digital age – is social media the be all and end all? The business world has changed how it communicates, with social media becoming increasingly common. It seems that there is a bright new shiny social media channel or technology every second week. What we need to remember, is that at the heart, nothing should have changed. People still do business with people they know, like and trust. Service excellence and consistency of value are essential to business success. In this workshop Mel will help you understand what is real and what is smoke and mirrors when it comes to effective communication today.

In this one day workshop presented by Mel Kettle in Canberra or Adelaide, you will learn:  

• how to be heard by your market and connect with your members so they understand the value of your association
• strategies to communicate effectively with millennials
• how to identify the right social media channels for your association
• why social media is not designed as a sales tool, but is instead intended to build trust and authority
• how to create and leverage content that your members will value
• how to effectively use social media in 30 minutes a day
• how to mitigate your social media risk
• why you need a social media policy and how to write one that works.

Canberra 6 September 2017: 10am - 4pm
Adelaide 13 September 2017: 10am - 4pm

Online Voting at Meetings

Not-for-profits, whether incorporated associations or public companies limited by guarantee, are increasingly looking towards online or electronic voting for general meetings. With the prevalence of electronic communication, many not-for-profits would presume that their constitutions already allow members to vote electronically for meetings.

Put simply, an electronic direct vote occurs when a general meeting is held, and a member is able to cast his or her vote using an online method (or one of several online methods, such as email or fax) without actually attending the meeting.

However, in practice, it is relatively rare for a not-for-profit’s constitution to include the requisite clauses in order to allow for electronic direct voting to occur.

The reason that many not-for-profit constitutions do not cater for electronic direct voting may partly be due to confusion between electronic direct voting and other similar voting methods. We differentiate between these different methods below.

Electronic Ballot

It is not uncommon to see not-for-profit’s constitution allow for “electronic ballots”, but these are different from online direct votes.

An electronic ballot occurs when the entire vote on an issue is conducted electronically, and there is no meeting. It is the electronic equivalent of the more traditional postal ballot.

Electronic ballots are distinguishable from an online direct voting, because online direct voting still requires a meeting to be held.

In some jurisdictions, electronic ballots are also included in the model rules for incorporated associations. For example, in New South Wales, electronic voting is provided for by clause 4 of the model constitution - found in Schedule 1 to the Associations Incorporation Regulation 2016 (NSW).

However, even if a not-for-profit’s constitution allows for electronic ballots, this does not necessarily allow for online direct votes at a general meeting. There are specific clauses which must be included to allow for online direct voting.

An electronic ballot will also not satisfy legislative requirements for a meeting to be held on a particular issue, whereas online direct voting can.

Proxies

A proxy vote is not the same as an online vote. A proxy is used when a member wishes to designate another person, which can in some instances be the chair of the meeting, to vote on that member’s behalf. Some proxies will include directions to vote a specific way, whereas others will allow the proxy to vote as he or she pleases.

Both a proxy and an electronic direct vote allow a member who is unable to attend the meeting to ensure that a vote is cast in accordance with that member’s preferences. However, sometimes proxy voting can be less flexible, in that:

• in order for a proxy vote to be effective, the allocated proxy must actually attend the meeting; and
• although a proxy form may direct the proxy to vote in a certain way, the vote is still technically cast by the proxy, and not by the member.

Further, if the proxy is also a member, there can be legal questions over whether the proxy is permitted to cast both his or her own vote, and the proxy vote, in certain scenarios. This depends on both the wording of the constitution, and the way in which the vote is conducted. Electronic direct voting does not give rise to this uncertainty.

Online Direct Voting

Allowing for online direct voting may be beneficial for not-for-profits, especially if they have members who are interested in the governance of the organisation, but find it difficult to attend meetings.

There are several types of resolutions, applicable to both incorporated associations and public companies limited by guarantee, which must be passed by a meeting. The advantage of direct voting, when compared to electronic ballots, is that the resolution can still occur at a meeting, while allowing members who cannot attend to easily participate.

Clauses in constitutions allowing for direct online voting need to be reasonably complex. Some of the issues that must be made clear include the following:

• the acceptable online formats for the direct votes;
• the timeframe by which direct votes must be lodged;
• the effect of direct votes on any proxies who are appointed; and
• whether direct votes count towards determining whether a quorum has been reached.

If not-for-profits have decided to allow for electronic direct voting in their constitutions, or if they are unsure whether their current constitutions allow for direct electronic voting, then they should seek legal advice.

This article was written by John Vaughan-Williams, Lawyer at Mills Oakley and can be contacted on jvwilliams@millsoakley.com.au. 

Julie Krieger has been announced as the new chief executive officer of the LNA Master Landscapers Association, effective immediately.

Krieger was most recently the NSW/ACT commercial director of the Property Council of Australia and has extensive experience leading and working with member-based industry bodies. With a background in not-for-profit management as well as management experience in the corporate and government sectors, Krieger’s career has focused on relationship management and commercial success.

“Having recently assisted the LNA board with the development of a strategy plan for the coming three-year period, Julie is already familiar with the LNA and will hit the ground running,” said LNA Chair Judy Bates.

“We are confident that she will bring strong leadership and a strategic focus to LNA. I know Julie is excited about her appointment and is looking forward to working with you, our members and partners.”

Krieger can be contacted at ceo@landscapenswact.com.au.

This article was originally sourced from Pool and Spa.

HVIA CHIEF Executive Brett Wright has announced his impending retirement from leading national industry association Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA).

"It is with many great memories, fondness and pride that I announce my leaving HVIA," Mr Wright said.

"I have been privileged, firstly to have been given the opportunity to work for The Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ) all those years ago and then to continue to lead it over the last twenty years culminating in its transformation into a truly national industry body, HVIA, in 2015."

Mr Wright commenced his career with, what was then, CVIAQ in 1996 and took over the role of Chief Executive Officer shortly after.

During his tenure, the organisation has advocated for the heavy vehicle industry on many major issues and most notably through the transition to Heavy Vehicle National Law under the auspices of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

As organiser of the biennial Brisbane Truck Show, HVIA has showcased the industry for fifty years, including moving the show to its current home at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2011.

Mr Wright has represented the industry on numerous peak regulatory committees and working groups on issues ranging from Australian Design Rules, Performance Based Standards, Vehicle Modification to Workforce Development programs and National Training Package development.

"It has been a great journey and one that I will always cherish, together with the many wonderful friendships made," Mr Wright added.

"I have also been privileged to have worked with many great leaders of industry, all of whom have so wisely led us to our current position of strength and potential.

"CVIAQ and HVIA's successes are built on a great community of people who I wish to sincerely thank for all of their time and efforts contributing to the advances in our industry." HVIA Chairman Peter Langworthy thanked Mr Wright for his contribution.

"Brett has steered the organisation through a period of enormous transformation," Mr Langworthy said.

"When the time came, members were unanimous in determining that the way forward had to be as a national body, and not for a moment did we underestimate the size of the undertaking that would follow.

"Brett has led that project over the last three years, and put together an extremely capable team to build the capacity of the organisation across the country.

"I know I speak on behalf of all Board Directors, past and present, when I congratulate Brett on his exemplary and unselfish leadership."

Mr Langworthy said that HVIA is on track to deliver its strategic vision.

"We are looking forward to achieving the next stage in that journey. There are a number of key objectives that we have undertaken both in our business plan and in HVIA's forward strategy.

"HVIA will only be a success if we continue to listen to our valued members, bring the industry together and effectively represent them to government and other oversight bodies.

"The time is right for the industry to collaborate on increasing productivity and ensuring our innovation and manufacturing footprint grows to its full potential."

The HVIA Board has commenced a search and selection process to seek a suitable successor to Mr Wright who will stay in his role until his replacement is ready to take over.

"I am determined that I leave HVIA positioned as strong as ever and fully committed to ensuring the handover and transition to the new CEO is as smooth as possible," Mr Wright said.

"Once that has occurred I look forward to enjoying some quality time with my family and considering new challenges and opportunities in my professional future."

This article was originally sourced from Big Rigs.