When the Founding Members were recognised at the Annual Conference Titan Volvo Awards Dinner in July 2008, signalling 40 years of the Institute of Quarrying in New Zealand, not all were present to receive their trophies.

And as it is always much better to present such an award personally, that’s exactly what we did. When the IOQ Executive members held their first meeting for the 2008-2009 year in Wellington this week, they invited Gib Stuart and Mike Walsh to join them at lunch time, to make the special presentation.

Gib spent most of his quarrying life at the Wellington City Council Quarry, and was IOQNZ Chairman from 1985-1987.

Mike was instrumental in developing the Technical Certification Authority (now known as Open Polytechnic) Correspondence courses for the quarrying industry