Welcome to the new year! On behalf of the ACA Board,
management and members, very best wishes to you all for a safe and prosperous
2019! Hopefully you’ve all had a relaxing holiday break after a pretty full
work program last year. The Christmas break is always a great time of year to
reflect on the professional and personal activities undertaken during the year and
to plan for the coming year. I have certainly done so and am looking forward to
the challenges of the coming year.
The Board has a number of key priorities in 2019, not least
of which is the development of a new strategic plan for 2020 – 2022, given 2019
is the final year of the current plan. The Board and management have delivered parts
of the plan and continue to deliver the strategic focus areas of the current
plan – membership, training, advocacy & communications and governance. The
next twelve months will see a sustained effort to satisfy the requirements of
the strategic plan.
From a governance perspective, 2018 saw changes in the
composition of the ACA Board. We already welcomed Michael Werle to the Board in
2018. Michael filled the vacancy created by the departure of Chris Badger and
I’m pleased to announce again that Dean Ferguson has joined the Board as its
newest director. I’m really excited that Dean has put himself forward to be a
director and wanting to contribute to the governance of the ACA. He will bring
a new perspective to the Board and we’re all looking forward to his
contribution.
Financially, the ACA had a very solid year (remembering the ACA
is a 31 December financial year‑end). We budgeted for a small loss in 2018
and while the final figures are yet to be fully completed, I’m very confident
we’ll present a black number once the accounts are finalised.
I would like to thank especially the Board’s Audit, Finance
and Risk Committee, under the leadership of Di Brookman, and Finance Manager
Suzzanna Selvey, for their high-quality contribution to the governance and financial
strength of the ACA during 2018.
Our finance team is now working with the ACA auditor on the
2018 audit. The accounts will be finalised, signed off by the Board and
presented to members at the 2019 Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for
May 2019.
The ACA Conference was a tremendous success in a whole range
of ways. It was very well attended, which contributed to the financial success
of the event, it was intellectually stimulating with fantastic plenary speakers
and break out presenters and contributors, and achieved its aim of bringing
together friends and colleagues from the ANZ corrosion community. Thanks to all
who volunteered their time and expertise in making our annual conference such a
success.
I look forward to catching up with you all at the various
functions, events, training courses, dinners and Corrosion & Prevention to
be held in Melbourne in 2019.
Dean Wall
ACA Chairman