LIFE MEMBERS

Terry Ryan

Terry completed a Bachelor of Surveying Degree, University of NSW (1971) and awarded a University Blue in Basketball (1970). He became a Registered Surveyor with the Board of Surveyors of NSW (1972) and awarded the Harvey Prize for Planning. He completed other studies including a Graduate Diploma in Housing and Neighbourhood Planning (UNSW) and postgraduate courses in Statistical Methods (USyd.), Remote Sensing (UNSW) and Geographic Information Analysis (UNSW). During his time at the NSW Department of Lands, 1972-1987, Terry was the Executive Assistant to the Surveyor General, Project Director Lord Howe Island Regional Environmental Study, Senior Projects Officer, Manager Crown Land Assessment and Status System and Staff Surveyor. In 1987 Terry joined Sydney Water as the Land Information Manager and was appointed to the NSW Government Senior Executive Service. Terry joined Asset Intelligence Pty Ltd as Managing Director in 2000. In 2001 Terry was awarded an Emeritus Certificate by the Board of Surveyors NSW in recognition of his contribution and long service to the Surveying profession. Terry has been a Lecturer at The University of New South Wales 1985-present, University of Technology, Sydney, 1994-1995, NSW Institute of Technology, 1979 and Sydney Technical College, 1974-1977. Terry is Director of Terry Ryan Consulting Pty Ltd, providing consultancy services in business, information technology and social guardianship. He is presently a member of the School of Surveying and Spatial Information Advisory Board, University of New South Wales 1993-present. Terry was President of ACTION for People with Disability Inc. 1996-1999 and Chairperson of Manly Warringah Family and Friends of People with Disabilities 1994-2000. Terry was a founding Director of Geospatial Information and Technology Association Australia New Zealand Pty Ltd. He was Chairperson of the Board 1998-2001, Vice-President 1997, Executive Director 2001-2003 and elected Life Member in 2003. As a member of the GITA Executive Team he provided a major contribution towards the growth and performance of GITA Australia/New Zealand. Some of his highlights include: Founded and established the Association as a viable industry learning forum, Influenced and lobbied the NSW Government in relation to Industry spatial data issues, Restructured the business model and future direction, and Established GITA Australia/New Zealand as a global affiliate. “GITA is close to my heart and I have valued the opportunity to work with such a talented Team, that includes: Directors past and present, Colleagues and Friends in many parts of the world. Like many things in life, it simply comes down to opportunity, giving it your best shot, enjoying your time with people and doing something that is worthwhile. In a few words, this sums up my time with GITA Australia/New Zealand.” Since leaving GITA, Terry has written a book, “What about me…” A guide for caring that has received acclaim from the Disability Services Industry. The Guide provides a practical approach towards the lifelong care of a person with a disability. Terry’s personal interests include writing, photography, basketball, running and cross-country skiing. Terry has three children Elyse, Christopher, Emilia and a grand daughter, Ebony.

John Lancaster

John holds a Sydney University BSc (1961) and BE (1963). He is a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy; Member, Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (USA); Member, AM/FM International (USA); Governor, Sydney University Electrical Engineering Foundation; President, Sydney Uni Electrical Engineering Alumni Vice President Sydney Uni Engineering Alumni and Life Member of GITA Australia/New Zealand. John’s early career in industry and management was with major corporations including AWA, Philips, Leeds & Northrup and Honeywell. During this period positions held rose from software systems design engineer, to principle project Manager and Manager of Aerospace and Defense.Technology areas John spanned included TV broadcasting, communications, antennae design, Power Generation Monitoring and Turbine Control to power transmission and distribution Supervisory control and data acquisition in operation control and dispatch centres with heavy emphasis on operational staff needs of technology nowadays termed “user friendliness”. John founded the consultancy group (John Lancaster & Associates-JLA) in 1977 which specialized in systems design, specification and project management of real-time operations and control systems for Utilities. Clients included NSW Public Works (Sydney Opera House Building Services), Telecom Australia (major building services control systems in exchanges and regional management centres), Electricity Commission of NSW (State-wide System Control), Queensland Electricity, South East Queensland Electricity Board, Victorian Gas & Fuel Corporation and AGL, amongst other keynote organisations. The JLA Group was taken over by the Macro Corporation (USA) in 1995 and is subsequently now a part of KEMA Inc. ARC Systems Pty Ltd. was founded by John as Managing Director in 1981; to complement the "realtime" consultancy’s acquired technical, operations “know-how”, and project management skills gained from many years in the Utility Industry. John was the “visionary” taking the Australian know-how of the ARC team which grew to some 100+ staff by 1995 and ARC’s technology partners to the world market, with specific emphasis on integration of spatial database technology in utility network asset modeling. ARC Systems had joint ventures with Telstra (satellite imaging and emergency management), CSIRO (spatial databases) and the Electricity Commission of NSW. This Group merged with the Convergent Group /EDS in Denver in 1995. In 1997 a demerger occurred and the Australian Group became SPATIALInfo. John takes special pride in fostering Australian intellectual property for Utility network modeling. Keynote developments were “real world” models and software products for the global Telco market. The first major telecommunications project was for simultaneous facilities management of fibre, copper pairs, cables and underground conduits deployed nationally for Telstra’s Cable Plant Record system. After a short period with Convergent USA John retired and now spends his time in supporting his wife’s non profit dance education organization as honorary IT manager and software developer having fun creating database management systems for distance learning. In between he plays golf, tennis skis in Europe and USA (“I may as well go down-hill gracefully while I can”). GITA – Foundation of the ANZ Group (Director 1996-2004) Having attended most of the early “Keystone” AM/FM International conferences in the 80’s John saw the potential to bring the AM/FM International (now GITA) to Australia. AM/FM had had a prior but disappointing once-off foray into the Australian scene. Nevertheless John believed both the ANZ Utility Industry and AM/FM USA had mutual synergies that should not go untapped. He therefore organised a meeting with Bob Samborski, John Earls (Energy Australia) Terry Ryan (Sydney Water) as the industry user “stakeholders” and drivers to create “AM/FM Australia and New Zealand” as a freestanding entity associated with, but independent, of the US Group. The vision was to provide an ANZ focus and to service the membership in the immediate geographic region. The rest is history! “My time with GITA was particularly rewarding since the formation brought together the ‘three pillars of wisdom’ namely Research, Private enterprise and Government organisations in productive discourse. This had been a challenge particularly in Australia as each ‘pillar’ tends to work in isolation. Most importantly GITA allows an informal networking environment for the most important asset of the member organisations, namely people, to share needs and directions of whatever technology and management issues the members wish to persue. I trust that GITA ANZ will continue to provide a stimulating environment by re-inventing itself periodically thus garnering expanding membership as a living organisation. It has been an honor to serve with all my Board colleagues and every member over the 10+ years since formation”