Long-term servants retire
David Sweeney, who has been the long-term printing representative for The Lutheran and many LCA departments and agencies, is retiring early next year after 45 years’ service with Openbook Howden Print & Design (OBH) and its predecessors.
David started in the industry in 1973 with Lutheran Publishing House (LPH), the LCA’s former church resources, publishing and printing arm. He applied in response to an ad in The Lutheran for a press driver. David then trained for press office work, progressing through roles including estimating, planning, sales, finishing and supervising. He also spent time as marketing assistant and managed Sounds Visual, the media arm of LPH. He is a former President of the Print Industry Association of SA.
LPH became Openbook Publishers in 1992, was later known as Openbook Australia, and amalgamated with Howden Printing in 2006.
David’s most recent role with OBH has been as Business Development and Account Manager, during which he looked after many LCA and Lutheran school accounts, and family history publications.
The Lutheran’s Executive Editor Linda Macqueen said David was a part of the church magazine’s history and would be missed by many people in the LCA.
‘Over his long term of service with LPH/Openbook David has been much more to us than a printing rep’, Linda said. ‘He knows the LCA as well as any of us do, what we stand for and how we express ourselves.
‘He’s an important chapter in the story of The Lutheran and of the publishing and printing history of the Lutheran Church of Australia – as are all the entire Openbook Howden team. In welcoming his successor, James Jay, we acknowledge David’s long, faithful and exemplary service to the LCA. We thank God for his commitment to us and wish him many years of happy fishing.’
Meanwhile, Tim Gray retired after 23 years as Chief Executive Officer of LHI Retirement Services in South Australia in October. Formerly Lutheran Homes Incorporated, LHI is responsible for aged–care and retirement–living communities in two locations in suburban Adelaide – one in Glynde and the other in Hope Valley. Its board is part of the LCA’s South Australia–Northern Territory District.
Since taking up the role in 1994, Tim has overseen significant building works and redevelopments on both sites, including the Trinity Lutheran Church and community centre at Hope Valley, which won an award from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. During his tenure, LHI also has received awards from, among others, the Master Builders Association and the Housing Industry Association, as well as national and state awards for excellence in retirement living, National Better Practice awards across multiple categories, HACCP certification for food standards, and Aged Care Standards Accreditation in all 44 standards for both sites.
