IIW History 1990-2015

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

THE ART OF GOVERNANCE 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’. 16 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