AIRAH held its board elections for the 2021–2023 term and voted in Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH, as the new president. He will succeed Ian Harwood, F.AIRAH, whose term ends in May.
Also appointed to the AIRAH board were Bryon Price, F.AIRAH, and Liza Taylor, M.AIRAH, both re-elected. Chris Stamatis, M.AIRAH, is a new appointment, and succeeds the outgoing Harwood on the board.
AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, says Jackson is an ideal fit for the role.
“Paul is widely known and respected, and has consistently shown leadership within AIRAH and the HVAC&R industry in general,” says Gleeson. “He has a wealth of experience in our sector, and understands AIRAH’s history, but he is also working closely on some of the latest developments, including the digitisation of the built environment. I congratulate Paul on being elected to AIRAH president and look forward to working with him.”
“I would also like to thank Ian Harwood for all his efforts over the past four years. He has been an excellent ambassador for the Institute, and joins a prestigious honour roll of past presidents. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Celebrating 101 years
The announcement of the incoming president comes just as AIRAH celebrates its 101st birthday. Mindful of the legacy he will inherit, Jackson is also focused on the path ahead.
“I’m honoured to be elected president of AIRAH,” says Jackson. “It’s an organisation that is renowned in our industry and beyond for the high technical standards it sets and the direction it provides.
“The Institute has been very agile over the past 101 years, and I’m sure it will continue to evolve to suit the needs of its members and the wider industry for another 100 years. Along with my fellow board directors, I look forward to helping navigate AIRAH into its second century.”
Gleeson says that the change in AIRAH’s board composition help it continue to stay robust and relevant.
“We are fortunate to have a board that is strong in vision and expertise,” says Gleeson. “Together, they represent many facets of our diverse industry, and I’m confident they will help us realise AIRAH’s mission: an Australian HVAC&R industry that is highly skilled and professional, safe, sustainable and environmentally effective.”
About Paul Jackson
The national contracts manager for Engineering Commissioning Services, Jackson boasts more than 35 years’ experience in the building services industry. Since the start of 2018, Jackson has been a director serving on the AIRAH board. He is as an associate director of AIRAH’s Big Data special technical group (STG), and is a founding member of the Commissioning STG. A member of AIRAH’s Western Australian division, Jackson is a past president of the WA division committee.
Having entered the industry as a service engineer, Jackson has been involved in field diagnostics and commissioning of a wide variety of building services plant. Jackson’s skillset encompasses mechanical, electrical, air conditioning, associated control systems and BMS systems.