MEDIA RELEASE

ACS Council to Elect New Leadership Team

Monday 11 October 1999 - The Australian Computer Society (ACS) National Council, the peak decision-making body of Australia's professional society for those working in IT&T, will meet this week to elect a new leadership team to take it into the next millennium.

The ACS Council will elect a new President, Vice-President and several Board Directors and other high-ranking positions when it meets in Sydney on Friday. It will also consider important policy issues relating to the IT&T industry such as the skills shortage, tax reform and the continuing rollout of the ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence).

ACS President, Prins Ralston, who has led the Society for the past two years, said the calibre of candidates for the available positions is extremely high and bodes well for the Society's future.

"Each of the Members running for office is a recognised performer with a string of past achievements in management to their credit and a high profile in the industry. It's a sign of great confidence in the importance and future of the ACS that such senior CIOs and executives who are qualified and well regarded within the IT&T industry are willing to volunteer their time and effort to be involved in a major leadership role," he said.

Candidates for President

Three IT&T professionals are running as candidates for ACS President (2000-2001):

Geoff Dober - Currently employed as National Manager - Customer Relations and Strategic Operations, Year 2000 Telstra, Geoff has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning nearly 30 years, including CIO roles within Andersen Consulting, RACV, Carlton and United Breweries and CRA. A Fellow and Honorary Life Member of the ACS, he is also past President (1992-93) and has held various other positions within the Society.

Glen Heinrich - Glen's commitment to the ACS is unquestioned after 15 years as National Treasurer and 24 years as an elected office bearer. A senior manager and respected figure within the South Australian public sector, Glen has a strong vision to grow the ACS, both in numbers and in the breadth and depth of services, to take a stronger and more prominent role in the IT&T industry of the next Millennium.

John Ridge - Currently National Vice-President of the ACS, John is a 30 year veteran of the Australian IT&T industry, previously a CIO in various organisations and now Managing Director of Sydney-based IT consultancy and training firm, Martin, Ridge & Associates. He has a strong track record in working on behalf of the Society at both the NSW Branch and National levels, and seeks to grow the ACS into a more cohesive organisation capable of making a significant impact on the industry it serves.

Candidates for Vice-President

There are also three candidates for the position of National Vice-President (2000-2001):

Denis Street - Currently a senior consultant with Nolan, Norton and Co., a specialist strategy firm of KPMG, Group Captain Street served for many years as senior executive and an IT&T specialist engineer within the RAAF. He has been very active within the ACS since he joined in 1982 and has held the position of Vice-President for the past four years. He is committed to the betterment of the Society and seeks re-election to continue building on the ACS' past achievements.

Richard Hogg - A stalwart of the Victorian IT industry with 33 years in a range of management and senior management, Richard currently runs his own consulting practice, FGH (Victoria) Pty Ltd. He has served on the Victorian Branch Executive since 1985 and is currently Branch Chair, focusing on growing the membership and striving for greater industry recognition for ACS Members.

Peter Kalkman - A senior executive within the Attorney-General's Department in Canberra, Peter currently has overall responsibility for the Department's Year 2000 project. During his 17 year career in IT&T, he has worked in military, private enterprise and public sector environments. An active Member of the ACS since joining in 1988, he is currently serving as Canberra Branch Chair and is an ACS spokesperson on Year 2000 issues.

This media release is available on the ACS Web site at http://www.acs.org.au/news/elect99.htm

ENDS

The Australian Computer Society is the recognised association for information technology (IT) professionals, attracting a large and active membership from all levels of the IT industry and providing a wide range of services to its members. It is the public voice of the IT profession, the guardian of professional ethics and standards in the IT industry, with a commitment to the wider community to ensure the beneficial use of IT. See the ACS Home Page for more information.

Media Enquiries:

Prins Ralston, ACS President, Tel: (08) 8947 4330 or (0411) 755 069, Email: prins@bmconsult.com.au

Caroline New, Caroline New PR, Tel: (02) 9980 8060 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au