On 25 September, BACS said goodbye and farewell to our General Manager, Suzanne Allan. Suzanne joined BACS over 16 years ago, having previously worked in the public service. During her time at BACS, she acted in a range of capacities at the company – from service co-ordinator, account enquiries and receptionist, to back-up for the CEO, Bob Allan. In addition to being General Manager, Suzanne is also Bob’s sister. Her strengths were evident, especially in dealing with legal and contractual issues, as well as in HR. BACS employees benefited from her calmness and ability to discuss any subject. Never at a loss on how to deal with a situation, she could see both sides of an argument. Being family, Suzanne would act as a sounding board for Bob and represent perspectives in ways that other employees could not.
Her ability to add a personal touch to events such as the company Christmas party, Melbourne Cup celebrations and business conferences will be remembered fondly. Suzanne says working with the people was what meant the most to her. She appreciated how rare complaints were, given the large volume of services that BACS performs. Although she is officially retiring, she will return to BACS occasionally to do some project work. Thanks to Suzanne for all her contributions over the years – BACS is a much better company because of her effort. In her own words “change is good; you can’t get left behind”. Her positive legacy at BACS will live on. As Chief Operating Officer, Rob Pye will take over most of Suzanne’s responsibilities.