Sally Nugent 
It’s doubtful if MESA could have head-hunted someone better equipped than its acting CEO Sally Nugent to help elevate the Society to become the peak body in its field.
As former executive officer of the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) and an engineer by qualification, Sally has been involved with MESA since late 1993.
Today she is working closely with the steering committee and council of MESA helping to map out strategic and business plans which will see the Society grow to be the professional voice in the field of asset management.
By early 2006 the constitutional and other changes required to achieve this objective will be put to MESA membership.
Meanwhile, Sally brings a comprehensive range of management skills and experience to MESA, building on her qualifications as a materials engineer and many years in corrosion research at Comalco’s facility in Thomastown, Victoria.
For more than 12 years she oversaw ACA’s provision of support and secretariat services to MESA, only recently resigning from the ACA after dramatically turning its fortunes around.
In a job that she describes as having been challenging and rewarding, she oversaw the development of the operational arm of the ACA from 3 to 5.5 staff and from a potential deficit of $40,000 in 1989, to a turnover of $1.5 million in 2004. The ACA’s assets grew during that time to more than $0.5 million.
Several key initiatives of the ACA offer some insight into how its fortunes were turned around.
In the area of education the ACA expanded the range of courses it offered from 3 to 14 and the number of students trained from around 40 to over 400. To enhance its technical image it began refereeing of conference papers and technical articles.
The Association developed a consistent minimum size trade show at its conferences of at least 27 booths, and an audience of over 200. This pointed to conferences which would regularly attract 300+ delegates.
In the marketing and communications area, the ACA achieved a number of milestones. Its 20 page mono magazine grew to be a 32 page colour publication, with a circulation which rose from 1000 to 3000, with additional electronic circulation. The Association also produced a marketing and information CD which has attracted favourable endorsements from corrosion associations worldwide.
Since 1996 it has had a constant web presence with the facility for members to monitor their own details and join and renew on-line.
Contributing to growth of the Association’s assets, it established the ACA Foundation and purchased commercial premises after 13 years of renting.