Australian Interactive Media Industry Association

AIMIA (an acronym for Australian Interactive Media Industry Association - This is now considered obsolete so the full name is no longer used) is the peak Australian body representing the digital content, services and applications industry in Australia.

AIMIA has over 600 members from a broad sector of the digital industry. AIMIA's membership includes Australia's top digital power houses, digital content, services and applications companies, and major industry suppliers.

AIMIA is best known for its annual awards that recognise the best digital work in Australia. Now approaching their 20th year, the AIMIA Awards are the longest running and most prestigious awards in Australia's digital industry. Winners for the 19th AIMIA Awards are listed here

The AIMIA Awards are the peak awards for the digital industry in Australia, and year after year continue to deliver a strong and innovative showcase of award winning digital creations.

AIMIA was founded by Richard Heale the CEO of the Perth-based New Media company Interactive Logic and a group of other invited CEO's from companies in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The idea for AIMIA came from a conversation between Richard and Michael Gale who at the time was the CEO of the Authorware distributorship in Australia. Michael's commercial network afforded the opportunity to invite interested parties to an initial meeting in Sydney. At this meeting Richard Heale brought a Perth lawyer, Martin Haas of Murie Edward, to draft an initial constitution and AIMIA was born.

Richard Heale was the first AIMIA President, a position he held for the first two years of the organizations life. Paul Campbell of ICE Media in Brisbane was elected Treasurer and John Caitlin of Applied Learning in Sydney its Vice-President, other board members included Stephen Schwalger, Marius Coomans & Kevin Karp.

AIMIA's initial primary focus was not on creating awards and their associated ceremonies but on creating federal government support for the fledgling New Media industry. AIMIA did organize awards and ceremonies the first taking place in Perth in 1992. However, at the time the AIMIA board realized that New Media had a significant role to play in Australia's mixed economy. New Media had both export potential and the opportunity to make certain aspects of the economy more efficient and effective.

In 1994 the AIMIA board gained funding from the Department of Industry and Technology to appoint the organizations first permanent national CEO and subsequently state based officers. Interviews were conducted in Sydney & Melbourne, by federal government and AIMIA officials, and from a strong list of candidates Stephen Schwalger was appointed.

The appointment of Stephen Schwalger (CEO 1994-1997), who had been a member of AIMIA's first national board, gave AIMIA the everyday horsepower it needed to develop appropriate foundations for the New Media industry in Australia.

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Wikipedia