Farewell & Thanks John Held
John Held’s six-year tenure as ACA National President has come to an end. John has also stepped down as SA Branch President after 13 years leading the work of the ACA in Adelaide. John has been an empathetic and inspiring leader and a committed champion of the profession. We wish him well as he takes a well-earned break.
John Held was National President of the ACA for six years, National Vice-President before that for another seven years and SA Branch President for 13 years. John has made a profound and sustained contribution to the architectural profession over many decades. His tireless efforts to advance architecture and architectural practice in Australia, along with his dedication to the continuous professional development of practitioners, have significantly elevated the standards of the profession. Through his leadership roles at the ACA and the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), he has played a pivotal role in raising the professionalism of architecture and, by extension, the wider built environment and construction industries.
John has led the way, championing issues in the profession, such as building quality, risk management, fair and equitable workplaces, realistic fees and profitability, and good business practice. His insightful commentaries, published on the ACA website, serve as valuable resources for the community.
John is deeply invested in the profession both professionally and personally. His tireless work and dedication to the profession were recognised with the prestigious Sir James Irwin President’s Medal in 2017, marking his significant contribution to architecture.
The Medal citation by Mario Dreosti (then AIA Chapter President, now current ACA SA President) stated:
“Under John’s guidance the ACA SA has further developed as an agile and productive advocate for, and supporter of, the business of architecture. As with most voluntary organisations, the majority of the work is contributed by a few and John’s personal investment in time and generation of content has been remarkable.
In recognition of a career which has demonstrated core professional values of innovation in technologies, collaboration in our thinking, and in a willingness to lead and deliver vast amounts of voluntary contribution to the benefit of our whole industry, I am honoured to award this year’s Sir James Irwin President’s Medal to John Held.”
John’s colleagues and friends have shared their comments, anecdotes and reflections:
“John has been an incredible leader not just for the ACA, but for the architecture profession and the construction industry more broadly. When I was appointed as the inaugural CEO of the ACA six years ago, it was uncharted territory for the Association, and to say we were both nervous would be an understatement! However, John was always there, providing tremendous encouragement and support at every turn. He made me, as well as the entire team, feel valued, appreciated and recognised. That’s something truly valuable.
Personally, I will miss John’s generous mentorship, sharp humour, unparalleled intellect, warm demeanour and collaborative spirit. The good news is that he will still be hanging around our orbit as Immediate Past National President, so he can’t escape us that easily!”
— Angelina Pillai, Chief Executive Officer, ACA
“It is hard to imagine the ACA without John, who has led, encouraged and inspired us all. He has helped me to build my knowledge and understanding of the industry and its challenges, and has been a constant calming influence for the national team. John has worked incredibly hard to build a stronger, healthier, more equitable profession and we are forever grateful for his passion and commitment. He has always been deeply involved in everything the ACA does, from leading the National Executive to dreaming up new tools, resources and initiatives for the membership. He is also a beautiful writer, contributing wise, insightful articles to share with members and the wider community. I hope to continue to call on John for his wise counsel and commentary as the ACA’s Roving Ambassador in the future.
– Susie Ashworth, Strategic Communications & Editorial Mgr
“I first met John as a young architect attending a tenderer’s briefing for an aged care project with the state government. I determined that he was a grumpy old guy from a firm with less relevant experience than us and thought not much more of it.
Two or three weeks later, John’s firm was awarded the project.
Fifteen or twenty years later, I awarded John the Institute of Architects SA Presidents Medal.
As I got to know and work with John through our representative bodies, I experienced a person of immense commitment to their profession and the betterment of our community. The body of work and level of attendance he has given the ACA and the profession over decades is nothing short of remarkable and, despite multiple midnight emails from him still working on ACA business… he’s actually not that grumpy.”
— Mario Dreosti, ACA SA Branch President
“John is the type of person who leads by walking beside. He is an intelligent reflective individual who genuinely wants to make a difference to not only the profession but the environment and the general community. He has deep philosophical beliefs that he brings quietly to the table in an informative and educative manner.
John’s style of leadership is consensus-based and he brings everyone along for the journey. In my time at the ACA I don’t recall the need to vote on any matter. They have all been carried unanimously. John’s leadership qualities are unique. He gently leads the conversation and focuses the organisation by gentle persuasion rather than force of personality. He is well-known at the state and national levels in the construction industry and gives the ACA gravitas by his role in forums such as ACIF, of which he serves as Deputy Chair.”
—Paul Viney, ACA National President + VIC/TAS Branch President
“I started working with the ACA in SA in February 2015. After a brief learning period, John put his trust and faith in me to manage the SA membership base. Over the nearly 10 years I have worked with John, he has been supportive, encouraging and an amazing mentor. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with him not only in SA but also nationally.
John is the ACA. His love for the profession, tireless work to improve conditions for practices and architects, his calm and even personality, have all made working with him a joy. The biggest compliment he has given me is to say that he loves coming to ACA events now with me on board, because he just has to turn up – all the work is done. John, you will be missed.”
— Sascha Byrne, SA Executive Officer + many hats
“I will miss John’s calm and thoughtful leadership. He has championed progressive action, such as our Reconciliation Action Plan, efforts around mental wellbeing and equity. At the same time, he has maintained a clear focus on improving the playing field for architectural practices nationally.”
Emma Brain, National Marketing, Policy & Advocacy Coordinator
“I have known John Held since I became Executive Director of the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) in January 2016. John has been on the ACIF Board and attended ACIF Member Meetings since that time. I have dealt with John as ACIF Deputy Chair from the time I started to August this year.
I’ve always found John to be a terrific board member – wise, level-headed and can be counted on to give superb advice. With his 50-odd years of experience in the industry and desire to make the industry better, his thoughts and comments are invaluable. To cap it off, he has a good sense of humour, so things never get too serious with John around!
Taking on the position of Executive Director of ACIF was a little daunting at first, and I wondered what I had got myself into. John has always been very supportive of me in the role, and I thank John for that, and he has my sincere appreciation and gratitude for his assistance over the past nine years. Thankfully, John will be continuing on the ACIF Board, and not retiring from that too.”
—James Cameron, Executive Director, Australian Construction Industry Forum
“I would like to say congratulations to John for his tenure as ACA National President. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing John for 20 years and have observed first-hand his focus and tenacity. He has advocated strongly on issues that will improve the built environment and initiated new benefits for the ACA membership. I look forward to keeping in touch with John.”
—Richard Choy, CEO, NATSPEC
“One of my first encounters with John Held was a late night twitter conversation over a decade ago. Tired and a little bit frustrated with endless pro bono work, I sent a tweet into the world, not really expecting a reply, “Does anyone actually want to pay me to do some work?”. “What is your number?” replied John. We chatted about the ACA – at that time sending out newsletters as PDF attachments to email (?!). Then I rang up my friend Sue Phillips for some insight – “John is the most ethical architect I know,” she replied.
Sue’s comment really struck me – and has remained with me ever since. John is no doubt sick of hearing me repeat it. But I do, because it is absolutely accurate – and very high praise. John is ethical. He is committed to making positive futures for the profession, supporting young practitioners, and increasing equity for all. He is an inventive thinker, very aware of the challenges, but also determined that we do not give in to them. He is also a sweetheart – friendly, funny and kind.
We had a lot of fun in the early days of my working with the ACA – we simply came up with ideas and made them happen. Then the inimitable Angelina Pillai joined as the ACA’s first CEO, John became National President and I handed over to Susie Ashworth. Together, they set about turning the ACA into the highly professional organisation it is today. John has made an enormous contribution over many decades, and we all have a lot to thank him for.
John became a friend. He babysat my kids, told me about the adventures of his own grown up children, and showed me lots of pics of his beloved grandchildren. I love following his annual long holiday travels in Instagram, and look forward to seeing many more adventures now that he has more time!”
—Justine Clark, President & co-Founder, Parlour
“ Thank you John for your vast contributions not only to the ACA but to the entire profession. It was an honour to sit alongside you at the ACA and learn from your mentorship and experience. Your thoughtful and strategic guidance has played an instrumental role in strengthening the position of the ACA in our industry. You will be greatly missed.”
— Ivana Simkovic, ACA NSW/ACT President
“It is difficult to summarise the achievements of John Held. He has done so much.
John is very well respected in the industry advocating for architects at a state and national level with government and various industry forums. He has worked tirelessly for the ACA to stay relevant in the ever-changing industry
In June 2018, John wrote in Architecture Australia.
Why do we have prizes for good design but not for good documentation or good practice? Why couldn’t we create a rating system for documentation, with a price premium for five-star documents?
We don’t value design because we don’t price the cost of poorly designed buildings or cities. We don’t value good documentation because we don’t directly see the risks and costs associated with shoddy documents. We don’t value fair contracts because we don’t realise the cost of the risks involved. We don’t value independent contract administration because often the client isn’t even aware of the future costs of poor construction or substitutions of materials.
The answer to these questions is still troubling the industry and John has been very involved in improving and advocating for the above issues.
I was privileged to be John’s vice-president from 2018 to 2022. I have certainly learned a lot from him and am very grateful.
On behalf of the ACA members, I would like to thank John and wish him a very enjoyable retirement – and not for a second do I believe that he will take his eyes off the future of the profession.”
—Agi Sterling, former ACA National Vice-President + NSW/ACT President
“I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank John Held for his remarkable contributions as National President of the ACA.
It’s clear from his work and the respect he commands within the industry that his leadership has been both impactful and inspiring. His dedication to advocating for our architects and addressing critical issues in our profession has undoubtedly made a lasting difference.
John’s ability to guide the ACA through challenges and opportunities with insightfulness, vision and integrity has been invaluable. The positive outcomes of his leadership are evident in the strengthened position of the ACA and the support it continues to provide to architects across Australia.
John, thank you for your service and for being a steadfast advocate for our profession. I wish you all the best in this next chapter of your career.”
—Brett Hudson, ACA QLD/NT President
“John is a Director at Russell and Yelland Architects and has been in practice for 47 years. John has always encouraged a culture of sharing and learning and during his time as director he has always led by example and committed substantial personal effort towards advocacy for better professional practice.
A Life Fellow of the AIA, John was both the National President of the Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) and Deputy Chair of the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF). He has been a convenor of the Pedagogy and Architecture Group, SA Collaborative Childhood Project and held memberships in various international organisations dedicated to the development of pedagogy. Highly decorated, John has received more than a dozen domestic and international awards. For his career commitment to the twin advancements of the education sector and the profession of architecture, John was also awarded the Sir James Irwin President’s Medal in 2017.”
— Stewart Caldwell, Director, Russell & Yelland + ACA SA Committee member
“John has been a brilliant president and during his tenure has taken ACA SA from an organisation that existed because it had to, with a small membership, to an organisation that is united nationally, is highly respected, is consulted as an authority on matters of architecture, and enjoys a membership list covering most practices in this state. That has been an enormous effort that should be recognised. This, of course, does not detract from the efforts of all in the committee and Sascha Byrne for the enthusiasm and commitment to the betterment of a great organisation.”
— Graham Hardy, former ACA SA Committee member