Swanson, Thomas Baikie (1910 - 1995)

Summary

Thomas Swanson worked for Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand from 1945-1971, serving as Executive Deputy Chairman from 1964. He was chairman of the Australian Commission on Advanced Education from 1971-1976 and founding chairman of the Australian Maritime College Council from 1976-1983.

Details

After completing a chemistry degree at the University of Adelaide (MSc 1938), Thomas Baikie Swanson took up a lectureship there in pharmaceutical chemistry. One year later Swanson moved to New South Wales to take charge of the newly formed Department of Chemistry at the University of New England. Wanting a change from academia, Swanson joined Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand in 1939. Initially he worked as a technician in the area of pharmaceutics, then the biological and general chemical fields. Within six years he was made General Manager of the Chemical Group, then an Executive Director from 1955 and Executive Deputy Chairman from 1964.

Thomas Swanson's reputation was now well established. He was invited to chair many commissions, including the Australian Commission on Advanced Education (1971-76), the Swanson Committee of Inquiry into the Trade Practices Commission, and the Australian Maritime College Council. Swanson also served as Commissioner to the Victorian Health Commission (1978-80), President of the Australian Chemical Industry Council, President of the Victorian Branch of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and National President from 1970-71. He was awarded the Leighton Medal (Royal Australian Chemical Institute) in 1972 and a CBE in 1976 for his service to education and industry.

Chronology

1938

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Adelaide

1938

Career position - Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Adelaide

1939 - 1945

Career position - Head of the Department of Chemistry, University of New England

1945 - 1952

Career position - Technician at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand

1953 - 1954

Career position - General Manager of the Chemical Group at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand

1955 - 1963

Career position - Executive Director of the Chemical Group at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand

1962

Career position - President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Victorian branch

1964 -

Career position - Executive Deputy Chairman of Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand

1968 - ?

Career position - Tedlands beef farming partnership established

1970 - 1971

Career position - President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

c. 1970 - c. 1980

Career position - Chairman, Eastern Nitrogen and Australian Fertilisers

1971 - 1976

Career position - Chairman, Australian Commission on Advanced Education

1972

Award - Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1976

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

1976 - 1983

Career position - Founding Chairman of the Australian Maritime College Council in Launceston

1978 - 1980

Career position - Chair of the Swanson Committee of Inquiry into the Trade Practices Commission and Commissioner, Victorian Health Commission

Related entries

Published resources

Resources

• 'Swanson, T B (1910-1995)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-460704. Details