This article is 20 years old. Images might not display.
Sawyer has been re-elected as president of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s peak business association while Cockbain has been elected National Deputy President of Engineers Australia (EA). Both are delighted with their respective appointments and see their involvement with these organisations as integral to the continuing development of the Ampcontrol Group.
Sawyer has been involved with ACCI for the past six years and his re-election follows his position on the ACCI board since 2000. Through his stewardship, ACCI will focus on five priority areas over the next 12 months, which include the Fundamental and Structural Workplace Relations Reform and Skills Development and Training, in addressing the nation wide skills shortage.
He is also a director of Australian Made Campaign Limited, a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council and a Councillor for Australian Business Limited (ABL).
Cockbain’s involvement with Engineers Australia dates back 10 years. He was the Newcastle division president in 2001 and has been national vice president responsible for communications and marketing for the past three years.
In his new role, he will be responsible for international liaison with other similar professional bodies representing the engineering profession and also in the implementation of the Engineering Australia strategic plan to promote the benefits of engineering both nationally and internationally.
A key focus him will be to further develop and strengthen the collaboration between industry and research organisations. This will be based on a model similar to the new research and development joint venture company, ResTech, formed between Ampcontrol and the University of Newcastle in the middle of last year.
Cockbain is also a member of the boards of AEEMA, Standards Australia Electrotechnology and the University of Newcastle Engineering Faculty (Advisory).
Sawyer and Cockbain started the Ampcontrol business in 1968. Today, the company they helped create is one of the world leaders in the innovation and manufacture of electrical and electronic products and services for industry and mining, employing almost 400 people in Australia with customers all over the world.
