The Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) has announced that its Australasia Chair, Russell Gammie, is retiring after 25 years’ service.

“All good things come to an end and as much as I’ve really enjoyed this journey, it’s time for me to embark on another, a more relaxing one,” said Gammie.

“I can’t go without saying a very sincere thank you to everyone that has been part of the experience over the 20 plus years.

“It has been an absolute privilege and pleasure for me to work in such an important sector for so long, and alongside such an experienced and dedicated group of people. 

“The wonderful support and camaraderie I’ve been lucky to experience, as well as the real progress we’ve made together, has made my time enjoyable and rewarding. 

“I’ll now continue to watch with interest from the sidelines.

“Keep on doing it, back each other and share the load!”

The force behind Australia joining AUCSO

Gammie, who also retires from his role at Monash University in Australia as Director of Global Security & Crisis Response was the force behind Australia joining AUCSO.

Known as the Grandfather of the University Security network in Australia, he set up a small confederation of interested parties in 1999.

By 2010, this had grown into the TERSEC Group (Tertiary Security) comprising members from institutions in Victoria, as well as a growing number of interstate members. 

“Russell knew that in order to further professionalise our industry, we needed to be able to tap into the knowledge base of our international colleagues,” said Mal Abley, Manager of Security Operations and Systems at Deakin University, Australia and Australasia Region Chair for AUSCO.

“This insight led to Russell beginning his search for an established group we could partner with that would offer us a new perspective and provide the encouragement to grow in our profession.

“That organisation was AUCSO.”

Sharing experiences

Gammie joined AUCSO in 2018 as Chair of the newly formed Australasian Region, which was made up of 28 Australian and New Zealand members.

AUSCO reports that at the time, this was a welcome step forward for the organisation who had members from Europe and the rest of the world, giving the perfect opportunity to learn and grow through the sharing of experiences and good practice.

By 2021 over 40 Australian, New Zealand and Singapore Universities had joined AUCSO making it one of the largest memberships groups within the organisation.

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