Open letter of resignation as IOR President
Graeme Fox CEng MCIBSE F.Inst.R.
FGAS Scheme Director ? Consultant and Expert Witness ? IOR Past President ? Rising Stars winner 2023
When I was standing for election to be President of the IOR in 2021 I stated that I wanted to use my extensive years of experience representing and serving the industry to raise the profile of the IOR across a wider sectoral group and across Government. I am proud that I have achieved that goal and believe I have served the members diligently and with dignity.
Part of the role of IOR President is as a figurehead for the sector – a role model who needs to not just act appropriately but to be seen to act with dignity and decorum at all times. You are constantly being watched and judged, but I took that on board having served a similar role some years ago as President of AREA for 4 years, and I have led the Institute with some distinction – according to the feedback I have received from many members, to whom I will always be grateful for the opportunity to represent them and to whom I am eternally grateful for their support in coming out to vote for me in a public vote in 2021.
My second year in office saw a significant surge towards supporting our young engineers and people entering the sector by my insistence of inviting all the various award winners to the annual dinner earlier this year. The personal feedback from them all has been humbling and intensely satisfying as I learned that my initiative precisely met its target: that of giving these young people in our industry a platform to be recognised for their efforts and to help them feel more included in our industry from an early stage of their careers. It was hugely satisfying again to last night meet this year’s crop of student of the year finalists and present them with their awards at the Cooling Awards in London.
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Being a role model is not always easy. It demands a level of personal responsibility and accountability, and being the IOR President as a role model also brings with it an expectation from the members that you are the one to bring their concerns, complaints and opinions to. Since February I have had dozens of members complain to me or raise concerns about a prominent member of the Institute after their behaviour at the annual dinner fell far short of what was expected of them. My raising those concerns with that person directly in an attempt to help them was met with silence and that person cutting all communication with me. Subsequently raising the matter with the Chief Executive and the Board of Trustees after an official written complaint came in was met with me being criticised and ostracised by them, rather than them actually addressing the issue at hand.
I have apologised to the Board for my part in the complaint handling procedure and tried to move on in a professional manner and put the matter behind us, but the Board of Trustees and the CEO have refused to allow the issue to be put behind us and have excluded me from any discussion regarding the business or direction of the IOR for some months now.
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Constitutional changes being rushed through without proper discussion in time for voting online at this year’s coming AGM do not sit comfortably with me as there has been no discussion on the need for this change with me, nor any opportunity to discuss the far-reaching implications with the membership in an open and democratic manner. The AGM itself has been moved to online only, with no consultation with me, further diminishing the members’ opportunity to raise concerns or discuss this constitutional change. I find this move undemocratic. I cannot endorse it and will not allow it to go ahead in my name as IOR President.
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It is with a heavy heart, therefore, that I have this morning resigned as IOR President and as a Trustee. After more than 20 years loyal service to the industry and the Institute itself I find the level of disrespect from certain Trustees and the CEO to be abominable and the double standards being applied to me personally by the CEO and Trustees to be an affront.
I wish them well in their future endeavours, but my efforts henceforth will be focussed back on supporting the whole sector rather than the relatively small part which is actually represented by the IOR.
Thank you again to those members who gave me their support and their votes back in 2021 – representing you has been an honour.
FGAS Scheme Director ? Consultant and Expert Witness ? IOR Past President ? Rising Stars winner 2023
5 个月After suffering days of people asking what's been going on I have posted a thread of 6 comments on this post to clarify for transparency: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/james-bailey-b57a4262_when-i-think-about-integrity-i-know-many-activity-7243950101256093697-4wMf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop I find it extraordinary that the IOR responded to this announcement with a provocative message with veiled baseless accusations in it which merely created more fallout. Meanwhile the IOR CEO responds by calling an emergency meeting of Past Presidents and forks out more IOR members' money on lawyers to try and save her skin! Shame of the leadership of the IOR.
A consultant to the duct cleaning, indoor air quality and building hygiene markets
5 个月Congratulations on taking a stand. I do not know the IOR, but I think I do know you. I know your judgement is sound and you would not take such a step lightly. I am sorry for you that it has come to this, but you will, I hope, feel vindicated
Director of Engineering at Ardent Data Centers
5 个月Technically this isn’t any of my business as I haven’t been a member, trustee or had any committee involvement with the IOR in many years now, nor do I know the “ins and outs” of the reasoning behind Graeme Fox CEng MCIBSE F.Inst.R. resignation but I do know many of the personnel, many members and non members, either way I’m saddened and somewhat ashamed by it all. You don’t need to be a genius to read between the lines here, but there’s right and wrong and this doesn’t sit right. The public response from the IOR was weak and also came across arrogant. Especially towards a respected volunteer who has dedicated their time and efforts willingly for the betterment of the industry. I expected more from an institution ran by professionals.
Managing Director at 3T Services Limited
5 个月That is concerning to hear. I wish you all the best for the future. I must add that I have found the IOR closed to outside opinions, to the point blanking me in the past when I have offered to correct their mistakes, you have to be ‘in the club’. I should also add that I have nothing against any individual member.
The man who came back to the cold and owner of #eDonkeyfication - Mr Fridge
5 个月Thanks for the leading the IOR Graeme Fox CEng MCIBSE F.Inst.R. I find the IOR currently also very uncommunicative with its own members and embarks on projects as the IOR without any consideration of using its own members or even promoting its own members.