2016 INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS Jonathan Nally
Nine individuals took home awards in categories ranging from New Talent to Professional Sales at ARCIA’s annual ceremony in Melbourne.
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he 2016 ARCIA Gala Industry Dinner and annual Industry Awards night was once again a great success. As with previous years, the venue was Melbourne’s Convention & Exhibition Centre, which not only supplied the venue, but first-class food and wine too. The occasion was arranged by Zealous Communications (with photography by Ari Adar Photography) and entertainment was provided by comedian and music guru Brian Nankervis, best known for his role in SBS TV’s RockWiz program (but for older readers, also remembered for his unforgettable ‘Days by the Ocean’ poem on Hey Hey It’s Saturday in 1986). Nankervis got the audience involved — including having a visiting US dignitary on stage pretending to push a shopping trolley and another audience member dancing to ‘Nutbush City Limits’. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of eight Industry Excellence Awards and the prestigious Jonathan Livingston Award. The Professional Sales Award was given to Jane Perton of MCS Digital. An industry veteran of 20 years, Perton led the company’s business development and contract management to achieve outstanding results in 2016, strengthening relationships with leading technology suppliers and local customer relationships.
22 Critical Comms - Jan/Feb 2017
The Engineering Elegance Award went to Scott Andrew, the manager of Simoco Australasia’s Melbourne-based R&D team, who helped Simoco win a significant rail contract in Queensland. The customised DMR development was a team effort, but Andrew’s work ethic and continuous drive helped deliver the solution on time against a very optimistic schedule. The Customer Service Award was given to Steve Hunt of RF Industries. Hunt is, for many, the face of the company, and his commitment to providing the highest level of customer service is legendary in the industry. Aldo Antolini from Motorola Solutions Australia was honoured with the Technical Excellence Award. Antolini’s knowledge and experience are underpinned by his passion for the technology, helping to ensure the company’s channel partners are fully across upcoming updates and enabling them to use and test new technologies as soon as they are available. The New Talent Award was given to Jason Shaw of ICOM Australia. According to ICOM, the company “is extremely privileged in having Jason in our team over this past year. His commitment, enthusiasm and dedication to the radio industry can be appreci-
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