New WJA board chooses first chairman to lead ‘exciting work programme’

Members of the board of the Water Jetting Association have voted for Lee O’Callaghan to be their first chairman.

He was appointed at a meeting of the board held on Thursday 14th November 2024.

Lee O’Callaghan, who is a WJA approved Coach/Examiner, will now lead the 12-person board in developing and implementing the WJA’s strategic plan and representing its members.

He said: “I’m delighted to serve as the first chairman of the WJA. It was a great honour to be selected, given the experience around the table.

“I’m looking forward to working with board members, WJA members, and all other people and organisations who want to be part of making the water jetting industry safer and more successful.”

The WJA is the member organisation for the UK’s water jetting industry. It is also the country’s biggest provider of accredited water jetting training, and manages three codes of practice that are recognised and respected internationally.

Selecting a chairman has been part of the restructuring of the WJA’s governance arrangements that has seen it incorporated to become a company limited by guarantee.

The WJA Board is made up of 10 WJA member representatives plus WJA Director Leanne Smith and WJA Technical Manager Gordon Taylor.

Lee O’Callaghan is one of two marketing leads on the board. There are also joint leads for four other work streams: membership; training; technical; and finance.

He said: “We’re striving to support and promote the water jetting industry through education, advocacy, and promotion of best practices that set the highest standards for safety, productivity and sustainability.

“The new board structure and the highly-committed members we have in place give us the opportunity to develop an exciting work programme, with amazing innovations and plans that will see the WJA go from strength-to-strength.”