Tony Barry, 52
National President of the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia (ACEA), Sydney

As ACEA national president, Anthony Barry represents the interests of 260 firms with over 22,000 employees across Australia. The past year has seen the reshaping of ACEA Board portfolios, policy agenda, roundtables and business planning. Barry has also been involved in working with government on limiting liability, reducing onerous contract terms, and immigration and skills shortage issues.
Barry is the regional manager for NSW at Connell Wagner. He appreciates the "tremendous supportÓ his wife May and Connell Wagner offer in his fulfilment of duties with ACEA. He said that he is grateful for the opportunity to represent the consulting profession.
Barry graduated from the University of Sydney with both a science and civil engineering degree and masters of engineering science.
Renovating the house, playing with the family pets, and enjoying the beach occupy his moments of spare time.

Brian Haynes, 55
President of the Combustion
Institute, Sydney

As president of the Combustion Institute, Professor Brian Haynes runs a scientific organisation that comprises 28 national and multinational sections across the world. The institute, based in Pittsburgh, US, has approximately 5000 members. Haynes is the first non-US president, taking over in 2004 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the institute's founding.
The institute has a role in fostering research and raising awareness of combustion research for emissions control, energy efficiency and alternative fuels in stationary and propulsion systems. Haynes explained that "one of our goals is to broaden the audience and engage strongly with research institutions in China and India where combustion of fossil fuels is set to grow enormously in the next 10 years and beyondÓ.
In the past year, he is most proud of having successfully demonstrated a miniature integrated steam-methane reformer that operates at very high efficiency converting water and natural gas to hydrogen. Haynes has special research interests in combustion and energy utilisation, with a current focus on improving the efficiency and environmental performance of energy-intensive chemical processes. He is currently working to develop microstructured chemical plant in which all the process elements are integrated into scaleable modules.
Haynes holds a degree and PhD in chemical engineering from the University of NSW. He is a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Sydney.

Peter Cockbain, 66
National President of Engineers Australia, Newcastle

Peter Cockbain is a passionate supporter of promoting Australian research and industry networking, to exploit Australia's intellectual property.
As president of Engineers Australia for 2006, Cockbain is encouraging closer collaboration between the centres of learning and research and those companies able to commercialise that research. He is also focusing on further developing the EA Professional Development Program (PDP) and the Engineering Enterprises Partnerships for industry.
Cockbain is keen to intensify the promotion of the PDP as a major incentive for recent graduates, generating a higher conversion rate of student to graduate membership.
He is an electrical engineering graduate from the University of Newcastle and cofounded electrical equipment company Ampcontrol in 1968. As technical director of the company he focuses on research and development of innovative products for the industry as well as on implementing strategies to expand the business and enter new markets.
In his spare time he enjoys restoring vintage cars and motorbikes. He also enjoys spending time with his family which includes his three children and eight grandchildren.

Chris Smallbone, 59
President of the International Institute of Welding (IIW), Executive Director of the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA), Sydney

Chris Smallbone is only the second re-presentative from a southern hemisphere member country to be appointed president of the IIW. The institute formed in 1948 and is the global body for the science and application of joining technology providing networking and knowledge exchange among 48 member countries.
Through the IIW, Smallbone has initiated and actively supported a number of tech-nology networking initiatives in countries throughout the world, aiming to improve quality of life through better, appropriate welding technologies.
As executive director of the Australian IIW member society WTIA, Smallbone has led a recent National Diffusion Networks Project assisting industry to source welding technologies for improved global competitiveness. The project has had a return on investment of over 20:1.
Since its commencement in 2003 it has influenced more than 9000 people in the welding and related industries in Australia.
Smallbone is a mechanical and international welding engineer trained at Aston University, Birmingham and North Staffordshire Polytechnic.
He enjoys soccer, gardening, walking, animals and nature.

Robert Dahan, 43
National President of the Civil Contractors Federation, Sydney

Robert Dahan is the national president of the Civil Contractors Federation (CCF), a national organisation representing over 2000 civil contractors and suppliers throughout Australia.
Dahan is working to encourage more people involved in the industry to become members, and for members to become more involved in the facilities the organisation provides. He has been on the rules subcommittee over the previous three years working through necessary changes to the constitution to nurture membership recruitment.
He supports a national quality assurance and integrated management program, as well as developing and conducting skills training for the civil construction sector.
Dahan has spent 22 years in civil construction including 15 years with Walker Civil. He then assisted in establishing Mainland Civil in Sydney, of which he is managing director and one of four shareholders.
He holds a degree in civil engineering from the University of New South Wales.

John Vines, 56
Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA), Melbourne

John Vines is the long-standing CEO of the 42,000 member APESMA organisation. He has played a central role in creating novel and highly successful membership services, including a standard-setting Management Education Program.
Vines has been an influential figure in engineering and science policy development in Australia having been a member of numerous government bodies, including the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Council.
He is currently the chair of the Chifley Business School Board and the Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council and was previously the deputy chair of the federal government inquiry into leadership and management skills.
Vines was appointed executive director of the Association of Professional Engineers Australia (APEA), the organisation that through successive mergers became APESMA, in 1984. He was awarded an Order of Australia medal in 2001 in recognition of his contribution to the engineering and science professions in Australia.
Vines holds a diploma in civil engineering from Swinburne University, a degree in economics from LaTrobe University, and a master of business administration through APESMA/LaTrobe.
He enjoys current affairs and fishing.

Tim Griffin, 37
National President of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA), Rockhampton

Tim Griffin is serving his second year as the national president for APESMA. He noted the achievements of the past year included APESMA and ACEA signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on an award that will establish an over-award minimum salary scale based on re-established 1989 relativities to metal tradespersons.
The year was also marked by the formation of a joint venture partnership to help APESMA members find jobs in the UK and also to recruit UK professionals for positions in Australia. The joint business venture with Prospect, APESMA's UK counterpart, provides access to a combined membership database of 500,000 practicing professional and affiliate members within the UK and Australia.
Griffin has strong connections with education, local government and the energy utilities in Queensland. He served from July 2001 until January 2006 on the Capricornia Regional Electricity Council as a community representative.
Griffin holds dual tertiary qualifications – a master of business administration (MBA) and bachelor of civil engineering - from Central Queensland University.

Peter Taylor, 62
Chief Executive of Engineers Australia, Canberra

With more than 80,000 members Engineers Australia is this country's premier association representing professional engineers, engineering technologists, associates and students. Peter Taylor became Engineers Australia's chief executive in February 2004.
He presented the Infrastructure Report Card for Australia at the National Press Club in September 2005, an event that was broadcast nationally on ABC TV.
Since then governments around Australia have announced significant new infrastructure initiatives. Taylor has also been at the forefront of Engineers Australia's efforts to highlight shortages in the engineering skills base and to propose remedial measures.
Taylor is a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon and the Indian Defence Services Staff College. He holds an honours degree in civil engineering from the University of Queensland.
Apart from spending time with his two new grandchildren, he enjoys photography and listening to live and recorded music.

Engineers Australia Magazine, Volume 78 No 6, June 2006.

top^