John Held on 2025 Honours list
The ACA is delighted to announce that our Immediate Past National President John Held has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to architecture in leadership roles. Congratulations John!
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. He was the Deputy Chair of the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) from 2016–2024 and a member of the SA Construction Industry Forum from 2007–2024. He has been a Director of Russell & Yelland Architects since 1982 and his dedication to the profession was recognised with the prestigious Sir James Irwin President’s Medal in 2017.
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.
“On behalf of the ACA, I extend our warmest congratulations to John on being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
As we all know, John is not one to seek the spotlight or make a fuss, but this is such fitting recognition of his incredible contribution – not only to the architecture profession, but also to the broader construction industry, to the communities he’s served, and to everyone fortunate enough to have worked alongside him or learned from him.
His thoughtful leadership, tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment to collaboration and mentorship have left a lasting mark. We are proud to celebrate this honour with John. It is richly deserved.”— Angelina Pillai (ACA CEO)