Water Corporation chief executive Jim Gill was honoured for his contribution to civil engineering in Western Australia yesterday, winning the 2006 Civil Engineer of the Year award from peak body Engineers Australia.
Water Corporation chief executive Jim Gill was honoured for his contribution to civil engineering in Western Australia yesterday, winning the 2006 Civil Engineer of the Year award from peak body Engineers Australia.
The full text of an Engineers Australia announcement is pasted below
The excellence of the contribution to civil engineering across Australia and internationally by Dr Jim Gill, the Chief Executive of the WA Water Corporation, was officially recognised at the presentation to him of the 2006 Civil Engineer of the Year award by Engineers Australia at a breakfast function in Perth yesterday morning.
Dr Gill's most recent achievements have included the implementation of a program of capital works programs to diversify water sources for Perth, including the construction of Perth's desalination plant. The desalination plant is the largest in the southern hemisphere and the first major desalination plant in Australia.
Dr Gill's guidance and leadership through adopting alliance contracting between government and private industry has delivered a major private industry partner strategy to deliver on more than $3 billion worth of major works through to 2011.
The Australian Civil Engineer of the Year award provides a high profile focus on engineering achievement and serves as both a showcase for civil engineering and a focus for young people interested in pursuing a career in engineering.
The Chair of Engineers Australia's Civil College Board, Steve Finlay, said, "Dr Jim Gill's significant contribution to the Australian civil engineering profession, his leadership in setting new industry standards, and his dedication to fostering the next generation of Australian engineers, makes him a worthy winner of this prestigious award.
"Dr Jim Gill's nomination met all our criteria for engineering excellence and leadership and Jim is certainly a professional benchmark for current and future civil engineers," Steve Finlay said.
Through a remarkable career in engineering-based organisations, Dr Gill has delivered an array of talents underpinned by the disciplines learnt from his civil engineering background.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) with First Class Honours from the University of Western Australia in 1968, which he followed-up with a Doctor of Philosphy (in the field of computer-aided design) from Cambridge University, England, in 1972, Dr Gill's career commenced with the WA Main Roads Department in 1973.
Through to 1987 Dr Gill's contributions included bridge design and pavement/ foundation engineering to major reviews of the organisation and re-negotiation of road funding arrangements.
From 1988 to 1995 Dr Gill was WA's Commissioner of Railways, during which time the new northern passenger line from Perth to Joondalup was completed on time and under budget. He dramatically improved the railways financial performance and he also proposed the formation of the National Rail Corporation that greatly improved Australian mainland transport.
Since 1995 Dr Gill has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Water Corporation, Western Australia, during which time he has successfully managed the State's water supply through the driest four years on record, 2001 - 2004.
Dr Gill has overseen about $1 billion in investment in new dams, bore fields, pipelines, pumping stations and treatment plants. He has also undertaken a multi-faceted approach to becoming a more 'waterwise' community involving the land development, building, plumbing and horticulture industries, schools, research bodies and regulators.
Dr Gill joins the circle of notable past winners of the Civil Engineer of the Year award which includes Mr Peter Stewart, Mr Bill Wild, Professor Harry Poulos, Mr Wal King, Mr Max Ervin, Dr Rory Nathan and Mr Doug Price.
