|
Susan
Saunders
Susan
was grew up in Adelaide and attended Adelaide University where she received a Bachelor of Science. 10 years later, in Perth she received a Master of Business Administration
from the University of Western Australia.
Susan
has 40 years experience in Australian industry, covering both
private and government sectors encompassing computer applications,
market research and analysis for industrial/technically oriented
products, corporate strategic planning, solar energy research, product
development from concept to full commercialisation, the marketing
and manufacture of products developed and the successful management
of several wholly owned companies.
After
a series of positions in engineering consulting, banking and manufacturing,
she was appointed as the first Executive Director of the Solar Energy
Research Institute of Western Australia in 1978. In 1981, she established
the Australian distributorship for Arco Solar Inc, then the world's
largest manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products.
In
1982 she became a founder of Bardak Pty Ltd, and in 1983 established
the Suntron group of companies.
The
eighteen years until 1996, were primarily devoted to the renewable
energy field, developing and marketing solar and hybrid small scale
power supplies for water pumping, household and communications applications.
The latter activities included the need for sophisticated computer
modelling of energy systems, market research and business strategy
development, installation of a quality assurance system to ISO 9001
standard and development and operation of fully integrated computer
based financial management systems.
During
this period, Susan also founded and operated MacForce, a temporary
staff agency for Macintosh computers and ran the State distributorship
for the Unidata range of data logging equipment.
At
the end of 1996, the solar business, which by that time was specialising
in the manufacture and marketing of high efficiency submersible
solar water pumping systems, was sold to Mono Pumps (Australia)
Pty Ltd.
From
1997 to 2001, Susan was a Director of Curtin Consulting Services
(CCS) in WA, marketed accounting software and has been consulting
to businesses with a broad range of varied assignments. With CCS,
Susan recommended and implemented a major organisational development
programme to decentralise activities and to improve management procedures.
Following a move to the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 2001, Susan has carried
out a number of management consulting assignments with local
companies. In January 2008, Susan moved to Melbourne to conduct
research at RMIT University.
When
she is not studying or consulting, Susan enjoys running and practicing
yoga. The Melbourne city lifestyle provides many oportunities to enjoy ballet, opera, the cinema and wonderful dining experiences. She wholeheartedly
embraces the importance of lifestyle balance between work and play,
an important factor in the business ethic learnt from living in the Sunshine
Coast region for many years.
|
