Six New Inductees to the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame

MEDIA RELEASE
30 AUGUST 2013

Six New Inductees Added to the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame

Six new inductees are being honoured in front of 500 guests tonight for their contribution to the road transport industry in New Zealand at the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame Awards at the Bill Richardson Truck Museum in Invercargill.

The six inductees include three posthumous awards and of the three living recipients two, George Wallis of Wanaka and Jim Ramsay of New Plymouth, are present to receive their awards. Sir Russell Pettigrew is unable to travel but his wife Lady Glennis Pettigrew and daughter Lorraine Wolfe are accepting the award on his behalf. Sir Russell will also say a few words on the honour via video.

Of the posthumous awards Tim Reddish, friend and past colleague of George Tyler, will accept George's award on behalf of his family while Bert Godfrey's son Des will receive his father's award. Unfortunately Cyril Mahon has no known living family members.

Once again the individuals present to receive awards have been extremely humbled by their selection. However these are the people to thank for forging the way ahead for our current road transport industry.

The full list of 2013 inductees follows:

GEORGE WALLIS - WANAKA

George opened up the West Coast for better road transport.

JIM RAMSAY - NEW PLYMOUTH

Jim set up transport companies Hooker Pacific and Roadstar Transport.

SIR RUSSELL PETTIGREW - NAPIER

Sir Russell advocated for better general public access into the Central North Island.

POSTHUMOUS AWARDS

BERT GODFREY 1920 - 2003

Bert was responsible for Godfrey Holdings Ltd.

GEORGE TYLER 1927 - 2013

Became the Road Transport Association Executive Director.

CYRIL MAHON 1888 - 1967
The first Life Member of the Auckland Master Carriers Association

A Charity Auction during the evening will see the proceeds go to the ProActive Driver Training Trust which provides free driver training to secondary school students. Auction items include a signed 2013 All Blacks jersey along with a Lakers House Of Travel voucher and Queenstown travel package.

This year's inductees join Bill Richardson, Sir Robert Owens, Jim Barker, John Emmerson, Lachie Griffin, Neil Clarke, Ron Carpenter and Tony Friedlander who were inducted at the inaugural dinner last year.

The Hall of Fame was initiated by Scott and Jocelyn O'Donnell of HW Richardson Group after attending a similar awards function in Australia in 2011. They returned to New Zealand and initiated
the concept on this side of the Tasman just nine months later, four hundred and fifty people attending the inaugural awards gala dinner which also marked the opening of the Hall of Fame.

Sponsors of the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame are the Road Transport Association NZ, Mobil Delvac Lubricants, General Tyres Ltd, Motor Trucks Investments (Mack, Volvo, Hino, Renault and Truck Stops), Gough Group (Transpecs, TWL and Caterpillar), International Telematics, Mobil Fuel, VTNZ and Wynn Williams Lawyers.

ends

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