It was with great sadness that we heard of the passing of PIAA (PVCA) President Peter Clark. We did business after he established Australian Independent Web - a fine web printer ahead of its time and now a part of IVE Group. His all too brief tenure as President was one of stability, calmness, decency and progress, leading to the imminent merger with TRMC. Deepest sympathies go to Peter's wife Peta and children Richard, Sarah and Luke, and grandchildren Grace, Daisy, Eden, Asha & Michaela.
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| Peter Clark - a lifetime of achievement in print |
Peter Clark GAIST MACID, President of the Print & Visual Communications Association, (formerly PIAA), passed away on July 4th, aged 76 years, after an heroic fight against pancreatic cancer. He passed peacefully at home.
Clark was inducted into the PVCA’s Industry Honour Role at the 39th National Print Awards held in Melbourne last week, in recognition and appreciation for his outstanding achievements and industry contributions over the past half century. A prestigious award of the highest order, rarely issued by the PVCA.
Clark, who hails from Tasmania, had an illustrious 59-year career in the print and visual communications sector, which began with a certificate in Fine Art gained from the Tasmania School of Art - to various roles across the industry and then to building his own company, AIW Printing.
In addition to his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen across his career and businesses, Clark also demonstrated his commitment to the sector and its future by contributing extensively to the wider industry over the years.
Acting President of the PVCA, Walter Kuhn, commented: “Peter, was not only a well-respected Board Director and President, but also a good friend and counsel. Always a loyal ear to bounce thoughts off and a passionate advocate for the industry. There are very few who have built, not only such an impressive career, but have also given back to the industry so generously, over almost six decades. He will be dearly missed by many.”
Most notably, Clark’s industry contributions have included stints as a Director of the Printing Industries Association of Australia (Printing Industries), which is now the PVCA, Board Member for PrintEx 19, and Chair and Director for Graphic Innovators Australasia Pty Ltd. More recently, Clark served nearly three years as a Director and Trustee of Media Super, where he was a member of its Investment Committee, sat on the Board of PacPrint 2022 for nearly two years in the lead up to this year’s event and, in January this year, was elected President of the PVCA.
Matt Aitken, Chief Executive Officer, IVE Group and Chairman of TRMC said: “Peter has been a tremendous support across the Board merger discussions and specifically over the past six months in his role as President. Coming into a merger arrangement can be challenging as we blend cultures, however Peter from day one made it clear he wanted a united and commonly focused Board – he never wavered from this commitment and without Peter’s measured approach and calm steering of the helm, this merger would have taken a lot longer to occur. He has truly united two Boards to a common path, which in turn unites one industry. The support he has provided to Kellie and the team is a testament to his character and we are all grateful for his class and leadership, not only in recent times, but across his entire career - and his generosity to the industry. Vale Peter Clark."
Clark recently credited the printing industry for providing some of his life’s greatest opportunities, mentioning that it it is for this reason that giving back to the industry has been such a great honour.
