The Bus Industry Confederation National Conference award presentations were about much more than individual achievements
By Amie Hickland | October 31, 2013
Friendship is not a word used often in a room full of competitive business owners and operators but it was used more than once at the BIC National Conference award presentation.
BIC presented its annual national awards at the Adelaide conference in October, and the major overall winner is Professor John Stanley of the University of Sydney.
The awards were hosted by South Australian Bus Association Executive Director Lauran Huefner.
“The National Awards are an opportunity to recognise and reward excellence within every facet of our industry,” he says.
The recipients thanked their peers and colleagues for the camaraderie which exists in the industry.
Stanley is the winner of the 2013 BIC Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award.
Huefner says Stanley “is transport in Australia and he is written into the DNA of our industry”.
Upon his acceptance, Stanley says: “I’ve grown as a person with the industry and loved the friendships I’ve developed.
“Thank you very, very much and thank you for the friendships I’ve made in the industry.”
Peter Dwyer, of Piper Alderman, is this year’s recipient of the National Supplier of the Year Award.
Dwyer is “very proud” to have received the award, and had been nominated by Queensland Bus Industry Confederation.
“The special thing about this industry is the friendship,” he says.
“That’s the one thing I treasure about this industry.”
The 2013 BIC Achiever Awards was given to Len Kidd, of Veolia Transdev.
“I just want to echo the thoughts of Peter [Dwyer],” he says, mentioning the “absolutely amazing” people in the business.
“I’m one of the few people who get up every day and love going to work.
“It is truly a wonderful industry.”
Darren Webster, of Kangaroo Bus Lines, accepted the award for the 2013 BIC Environment/Innovation.
He says they are “quiet achievers” and also invited anybody who is interested in checking out the business for a traditional “rum and Coke”.
Other nominees for the major award were Ian and Bruce Campbell, Athol McKinnon, Anthony Manion and John Wymond.
Pictured: Guest Speaker Katrina Webb, Professor John Stanley of the University of Sydney and Steve Heanes of Iveco