Sue Williams becomes the 86th SDC president

Sue Williams is the new president of the Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC), the world’s only chartered society, professional body and educational charity dedicated to the science, technology and application of colour. She takes over from Adrian Abel and makes history for being the second woman president appointed by the Society in its 124-year history. Her term in office comes exactly 10 years after that of the first woman SDC president, Dr Veronica Bell.

Coming from a colour measurement and assessment background, Sue has worked in the industry for over 40 years. Beginning work in a pigments company, her future in colour was assured and in October 1969 she set up her own company, Instrumental Colour Systems (ICS), with three other colleagues. In her role as company director, she ran colour development and application teams and also planned and delivered colour courses. ICS was bought by Datacolor International in 1990, for whom Sue went on to work for seven years, responsible for the launch of new colour software products and running the technical centre in the UK.

In 1997, Sue set up Eurocolor Systems Ltd with four colleagues, which went on to be acquired two years later by GretagMacbeth UK, a company that leveraged her experience and expertise to provide pre-sales consultancy for their colour management software. She then formed Global Colour Solutions (GCS) Ltd in 2001 to carry out consultancy, education and training and for the next four years worked closely with DigiEye plc helping to develop a pioneering digital imaging system for work in the measurement of fastness, colour and appearance. GCS Ltd was acquired by DigiEye plc in March 2007 and Sue now works as an independent colour consultant.

Throughout her career, education and training have featured highly and, not surprisingly, this will be the focus for her term in office. She is firmly committed to the Society’s role as an educational charity and is dedicated to expanding and delivering SDC courses worldwide. A Chartered Colourist and Fellow of the SDC, Sue has been a Society member for over 20 years. Throughout this time, she has been involved in numerous technical committees and was awarded the Society’s Gold Medal in 2006 for significant contribution to colour measurement.

The new president took office on Friday 18 April 2008, at a ceremony which was an integral part of the SDC Day of Celebration and saw her inaugural duties culminate in a presidential reception and dinner. This event was more colourful than usual – a reflection of Sue’s forthcoming year in office – with the announcement of the winners of two global SDC competitions. Another first for the evening was that it also included the first ever fashion show at this annual SDC event, with outfits provided by a local SDC Patron College, the University of Huddersfield.

Another first in the history of the Society is that Sue will be keeping members up-to-date about her engagements as SDC president in her blog, which can be accessed via www.sdc.org.uk.

For further information about the SDC contact: Dr Carmel McNamara,
SDC communications manager.
Tel: +44(0)1274 725138 ext 211.
 Email: carmelmcn@sdc.org.uk.