PC Users Group (ACT) inc.

Background information on the Committee members as at 15 April, 2004.

President

David Lewis

I have been a member of the PCUG since 1997 and a member of the committee for several years. In the last elections I was elected unopposed to the position of President. I am currently a "house father" and believe that that gives me a little more time than some members (because my wife is working part time and takes over from me). Of course, paid employment would be welcome.

I believe that I have a lot to offer PCUG because of my previous experience in running a voluntary organisation. I was, for over 4 years, the Director of Business Services in the Victorian Division of the Australian Red Cross. In this position I was responsible for fundraising around $7 million, for approximately 75 staff, jointly responsible for thousands of members and many thousands of volunteers who were not members (like the Red Cross Calling volunteers), responsible for merchandising (over 30 second-hand shops), and for financial management of the organisation. It was a very vibrant and well-managed organisation of which I was only one of the contributors.

I have also been employed at five Australian universities in administrative roles, including, in one university, administering the budgets for Arts and Science faculties to the tune of $7-8 million each. I hold a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Melbourne with honours in marketing and strategic planning subjects.

My wish is to re-vitalise the PCUG, to increase its membership and to ensure that members feel satisfied, and enjoy, what the PCUG provides for them. My email address is pcug.vp@pcug.org.au

* * *

Secretary

Tom Hayes, AO

Mr Tom Hayes AO, has been a member of PCUG since the Belconnen High School days. .

Tom had a distinguished career in the Australian Public Service, culminating in his holding the position of Departmental Secretary for the Departments of Business and Consumer Affairs and Industry Technology and Commerce. Tom was then appointed Secretary General, World Customs Organisation, located in Brussels. In recent years he has carried out a number of high level assignments advising the Australian Government in such areas as Defence and Therapeutic Goods. .

Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Committee and we look forward to him making substantial contributions to our work. .

* * *

Treasurer

Noel Matthews

Noel was trained as a Communication Engineer and spent the first 20 years of his working life in the PMG (now Telstra) where he rose to Divisional Engineer. In 1970 he transferred to the Department of Transport where he was responsible for the project and financial management of many large construction projects, including the construction of the standard gauge railway from Broken Hill to Perth.

He left the Public Service and became the Executive Director of the National Public Works Council (NPWC). After leaving the NPWC Noel moved into the international arena and served the last four years as the Chief Executive of the International Accreditation Forum, Inc., responsible for the operations of the international body responsible for facilitating the acceptance of certificates of conformity.

He has served on the Boards of a number of business and community organisations and has been Treasurer of some.

* * *

Committee Members

Graeme Evans

Graeme has been a member of PCUG since 1997 and a member of the PCUG committee since 2001.

He has for many years been an active participant in a wide range of community activities.  Within the ACT these have focussed on land-use and social planning.  He is currently president of Belconnen Community Council and is a former president of ACTCoSS, the Conservation Council and the ACT Council of Cultural and Community Organisations.

Graeme has a deep interest in the role of information technology as a central aspect of the way society as a whole is changing and growing.  By contrast with many members of PCUG, he is much less interested (read - not interested) in the technical aspects of IT.  Instead, he sees diversity within the committee (and the Group) as a useful way of widening the range of perspectives represented and brought to focus on issues which arise.

Outside PCUG, but still within the IT area, Graeme is a member (and deputy chairor) of the ACT government's Community IT Advisory Group appointed earlier this year to advise on measures for the bridging of the digital divide.

* * *

Paul Free

I am retired, aged 79. I was an electrical engineer in the Public Service. I have spent half my life in the design and production of Equipment.

I was previously the Commonwealth member of the Metric Conversion Board and was Divisional Head of the Department of Science.

During retirement I have been heavily involved in matters relating to older people. I was a board member of the Council of the Ageing and was Immediate Past President of the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers Association (ACT Branch).

I have belonged to the PC Users Group for approximately 10 years and I am a member of the daytime Internet Special Interest Group.

I am keen to see PCUG continue and flourish.

* * *

Allan Hepworth

I have been involved with computing as a hobby since I purchased an Amstrad CPC6128 in the mid 80's. By the way I still have it and it works perfectly. This was before the first PC came on the market. I spent a number of years in the Armed Forces as a computer specialist. I have managed small networks, around 40 people, and have supported larger networks that had a user base consisting of an Australian State. On the enterprise side I have managed a national database application that supported the Australian Army. I have a broad experience in nearly all operating systems and have qualified in most of them. I am a technical hands on person.

My passions are networking and databases. I would like to start a SIG early next year that will provide members a forum for discussion and problem solving on databases and managing of small networks (Home and Small Business). I would welcome any members interested in these topics to drop me an Email at allanh@pcug.org.au and get on the mailing list.

* * *

Keith Sayers

Age 63 (yes, I know, I do not look it, but that is what the calendar says). Resident Charnwood. PCUG member since 1990. Been a low-level activist at different times and in different ways - stuffing, computer fairs, used to teach the Bluewave course (remember that?).

Professional accountancy and industrial management accounting have been my forte. Interests apart from computing:- genealogy (currently transcribing for the FreeBMD project); bush dancing (I host what is apparently the only www page on lagerphones); bushwalking and skiing, though since an illness some two years ago I have not done much of those; keeping an HX panel van going.

* * *

John Hodge

John Hodge has been a member of the PC Users' Group since 1993. He spent 6 years procrastinating before joining, and has only recently decided to stop free riding on the magnificent efforts of active PCUG volunteers. He is organising the next Main Meetings-come to 'What you need to know about Digital Cameras' on 29 March-and assisting Allan Hepworth with the digital scanner, sound and audio-visual corner at the PCUG Centre. He believes strongly in 'Computer users helping users'.

Professionally, John is a project manager, development manager and architect who, for 30 years, worked as a public servant on capital works of many types for the Australian Government. In 1976 he graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Architecture degree (First class honours) and a firm belief that computers are an essential tool for architects. His career since then has been in traditional architectural practice, CAD and technical computing, with detours into knowledge management and quality systems. Prior to taking a redundancy package, John gained a Graduate Diploma in Management from the Australian Graduate School of Management. (This coincidence gave him some insight into the theory and practice of managerialism and economic rationalism.) He still aims to provide successful and sustainable services that meet clients' expectations and give him personal satisfaction from applying his skills.

Computer-wise, John has spent many years assisting other architects to apply computers to project work, including a 1977 short film that modelled a proposal for the Hobart Law Courts. In 1989 he helped to put the case to the Joint Committee for Public Accounts for a major investment in CAD and technical computing for ACS, which was implemented in the early 1990s.

His 19-year-old daughter is presently on a three-month tour of Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. He finds that email and 'meeting on the net' are fabulous ways to stay in contact from Kathmandu to Agra.

* * *

Ken Ford

Ken Ford is aged 63 and has been a member of PCUG since 1998. He has lived in Canberra for 40 of the last 46 years and has been active in a number of community organisations over those years. He currently lives with his wife at Dunlop, with family in close proximity. While not claiming to be very computer literate (although he has owned a Sinclair ZX81 and an XT), he has been active in Stuffing and the Investment SIG, where no special technical expertise is required.

Ken is a retired Public Servant, taking early retirement in 1995 after serving in Attorney-General's Department and Defence. He is still amazed that a volunteer group could achieve so much in the way of being an ISP, in running large premises with training facilities, fostering Special Interest Groups and providing training to the public at libraries and community centres. He has joined the Committee because he feels that, after being helped so much by PCUG in the past, it is time for him to give something back to ensure that PCUG grows to meet the needs of members and continues to be a force in the community.