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THE ART OF GOVERNANCE
The concept for such awards came up first at the Annual Assembly in Prague, Czech
Republic, in 2005. Dr Krishna Verma (USA), Principal Engineer of the US Department
of Transportation, made mention during a break in proceedings that IIW should introduce
some kind of recognition for the many participants in the IIW Working Units.
14
Arising
from these discussions were suggestions that attendances at Annual Assembly meetings
be recognised, not only from a personal point of view, but also to provide confirmation
with employers that tangible benefits were being achieved as a result. It was considered
that the presentation of an award or a lapel badge was one way of recognising, as a mark
of appreciation, regular attendance at future IIW Assemblies. Party to these discussions
was Smallbone, at that stage the President-Elect of IIW, who offered to put the matter of
awards to the Board of Directors. It was then approved unanimously and in 2006 these
awards became a permanent feature of Annual Assemblies. The first gold lapel badges to
be awarded on this occasion were through the courtesy of the Welding Technology Institute
of Australia (WTIA). A total of 32 awards for 10 years, 18 for 20 years and five awards for
30 years were presented by the President to those that attended the Assembly including that
of Eaton.
15
The awards, fittingly, were accompanied by framed certificates of appreciation
outlining the recipient’s individual contribution to IIW.
Another recipient, Dr Damian Kotecki (USA), also received a 30-year
attendance award two years later in 2008. At the same time the receipt of
a ‘piggy bank’ on being elected as Treasurer of IIW was another source of
amusement which brought a smile to Kotecki’s bewhiskered features when
the previous Treasurer, Prof. Dr-Ing. Detlef von Hofe (Germany), passed on
the trappings of succession. On leaving finance in Kotecki’s capable hands,
von Hofe was to report a very healthy situation with respect to finance ‘…the
IIW’s finances have been very solid for many years and the slight decrease
in running costs in relation to the year
2008 was due to very cost-effective
measures of the IIW Secretariat and
the postponement of promotional
activities for the IIW and the IAB’.
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Like everyone else, Kotecki would
not have been aware that the Global
Financial Crisis (GFC) was only just
around the corner when he took on
the position of Treasurer.
In the context of IIW’s challenge in
the Business Plan, to increase representation
Damian Kotecki, as incoming
Treasurer, receiving ‘piggy bank’ from
Detlef von Hofe