AIS Water’s CEO Elena Gosse has been swimming in accolades.
As CEO of Brisbane based AIS Water, a manufacturer of water disinfection technology for commercial and residential swimming pools, Elena Gosse has beaten the odds for a great deal of her life. She has continued to do so over the past 12 months, turning 2020 into a year to remember for all the right reasons, personally and professionally.
Elena, an immigrant from Russia, has left her mark on the business world picking up a slew of awards this year for technology produced by her Brisbane-based company, as well as personal awards and wide recognition of her contribution to the community.
AIS Water was named the winner of fourSwimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia (SPASA) Awards picking up the national and Queensland Sustainable Product Category awards for its water disinfection technology and the national and Queensland Marketing Campaign Awards for its Enhancing Life campaign. Independent university research has demonstrated the sustainability and efficacy of AIS Water’s EcoLine and AutoChlor water disinfection technology which can deliver water savings of 1.6 million litres annually for just one 50 metre swimming pool.
AIS Water also received the prestigious Climate Care certification for its range of AutoChlor and EcoLine commercial pool chlorinators’ water efficiency and sustainability. Climate Care is an initiative of the pool and spa industry’s peak national body, SPASA (Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd).
The company achieved a major milestone as the water disinfection technology of choice for more than 120 school swimming pools as part of the Queensland State Government’s program of upgrading its school pools. Next year will see AIS Water target more school pools across the nation.
AIS Water was also a national finalist for the2020 Australian Technologies Competition (ATC) for its inline chlorine generation disinfection process via electrolysis for swimming pools. From 217 entries, AIS Water was one of only two national finalists in the Advanced Manufacturing category.
Elena was accepted as a member of CEO Connection, the only membership organization in the world focused exclusively on CEOs of mid-market companies ($100M to $3B U.S in annual revenue) and with a strong focus on the U.S Market.
In the prestigious, international Gold Stevie Awards for Women in Business, Elena was named the Gold winner for Woman of the Year – Manufacturing award; Gold winner for Most Innovative Company of the Year – More Than 10 Employees award and Gold winner for Achievement in Organisation Recovery award.
Additionally, Elena won three Queensland and Northern Territory2020 Ausmumpreneur Awards including Sustainability and Business Excellence Awards. She was also named Ausmumpreneur of the Year.
The accolades kept coming in 2020 for Elena, with Elena and AIS Water named on the inaugural Queensland Government’s Individual Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Honour Roll. The DVF Honour Roll recognises individuals and companies working to create awareness about domestic violence through fundraising, campaigns, or physically reaching out to those who may be experiencing DFV.
Elena has long been both an active supporter and advocate for Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ), which offers information and support for women and children seeking an escape from a family or domestic violence situation. WLSQ recognised Elena’s tireless support for them by nominating her for the 2020 Queensland Community Foundation’s Community Philanthropist Award, where she was named a finalist alongside fellow finalists, Professor Ian Frazer AC and Caroline Frazer (winners), Robert Bryan AM, Perry Cross AM and Dr Joanna Tait. Elena was acknowledged for raising more than $125,000 for WLSQ as well as raising awareness about the impacts of domestic and family violence. The awards were held at Brisbane’s Parliament House.
She continued her fundraising for WLSQ in 2020 when she was named a Westfield Local Hero Winner – Westfield Carindale, securing a $10,000 donation for the not-for-profit organisation.
Elena’s story was featured in ‘YNot’, a book of empowering stories by female leaders who said “why not” to opportunities and overcoming challenges in their lives. Following its sales success, the book is being included in the 2021 Academy Awards goodie bags.
During a year of turmoil, Elena attributes her company’s and her personal success to a culmination of hard work, sheer determination and a solid business strategy which enabled her company to not only survive but thrive in 2020 as well as her commitment to giving back to her community.
“When we look back at 2020, it is a pivotal year in the lives of many around the world,” she explained. “I have been one of the truly fortunate ones who can, for the most part, look back on this year as one which was rewarding for many reasons both professionally and personally.
“I value that and feel this brings with it a heightened understanding of the good I can do personally, and AIS Water can do professionally, to help others.
“More than ever, it is critical that we take opportunities we can to make the lives of others better. I have done this for my whole life and vow to continue to do so.”
AIS Water has been producing water disinfection systems for almost 30 years and their products can now be found in 55 countries globally in backyard and commercial swimming pools.
AIS Water is determined to dictate the new normal in swimming pool water disinfection.
