The International Lead Association awarded its International Lead Medal to one of its longest-serving employees, Office and Events Manager Maura McDermott. She is retiring after 35 years’ service.
ILA chairman Florian von Steinkeller presented the award on Thursday at the ILA’s Pb2023 conference in Athens.
McDermott joined the Zinc and Lead Development Association in November 1988, as executive assistant to the chief executive, David Ward.
After reorganisation, the Zinc Development Association moved to Birmingham, and McDermott stayed at the ILA as executive assistant to the managing director, David Wilson. She helped induct a new ILA recruit, Dr Andy Bush, who joined the association on completing his doctorate.
He became managing director and McDermott became his executive assistant, later being promoted to operations and events manager.
The ILA said McDermott’s lasting legacy will be the many events she organised and developed during her career, starting in 1990 with 2ELBC in Brussels, right up to 18ELBC in Lyon, one of the largest lead battery conferences to date.
McDermott said: “It’s a real honour to be recognised by the industry to which I’ve devoted almost my entire career. It’s such a social and friendly industry, I will take with me many happy memories and just as many friends. I’ve enjoyed many aspects of the job, but I’ll particularly miss the events and the colleagues and delegates who helped make them such a success.”
Bush said: “In three and a half decades Maura has made a huge contribution to the work of the lead association helping to make two of the major conferences supporting our industry – Pb and ELBC – the leading events they are today. She has been a much loved and respected point of contact for so many members and partners, as well as our employees. She’ll be greatly missed.”
