The 15th CMPA Annual Dinner

The 2016 CMPA Annual Dinner was held at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne. CMPA Administration Support Officer, Jacinta Gall, reviews another brilliant night.

The evening commenced with an earlier than usual AGM at 5pm, allowing the attending members to enjoy pre-dinner drinks in the foyer with the other guests after it wrapped up. CMPA Chairperson Mr Garry Cranny opened the meeting and addressed the assembly with highlights from the preceding twelve months.

Pre-dinner drinks and delicious canapes were served as guests started to trickle in to the foyer and collect their lanyards and seating arrangements. The room was soon abuzz with guests mingling and enjoying some networking. There was plenty to keep everyone occupied with two Mobile Simulators (provided by CJD and William Adams) and a new addition of a drone simulator from new Associate Member XM2 Aerial. Once again participants lined up to have their likeness captured by caricature artist Tony Bramwell.

As the doors opened to the main dining room, guests found their way to the tables where they discovered gifts from our platinum sponsors. Each guest receiving a 50th year commemorative bottle opener from Komatsu and a surprisingly quirky business card bottle opener from Crushing Equipment. One lucky guest per table collected a Hyundai HL770-9 Wheel Loader die cast model which was provided by Onetrak, and chosen at random by a hidden red dot. A special thank you to Newcomb Sand & Soil Supplies for our table centrepieces, with three different layers of sand they certainly made an impact. With so many members from differing backgrounds, seated together there were some ice-breaker questions to get the conversation going. Would you rather… Take a guaranteed $100,000 or a 50/50 chance at $1,000,000?

Once again the CMPA’s very own Gavin Moreira was our MC for the night – he has become an old hand now. Gavin began by welcoming those present and thanking our Sponsors for the night. Gavin then took a few moments to talk about the CMPA and continuing to support our industry and each other. In keeping with tradition, the names of all those guests present went into a draw for a door prize. This year’s lucky winner was Jonathan Kerr from Conundrum Holdings who received a Crown Hotel gift pack which was generously donated by Crushing Equipment and presented by Mr Tom Bruce.

With much of the night being informal and relaxed, there were still some formalities which needed to be accommodated. CMPA Chairperson, Garry Cranny was introduced to formally open the night and discuss some of the highlights from the past year.

A mouth-watering three course meal was interspersed with a presentation from the Associate Chairperson Mr Tej Panesar to fifteen Associate Members who have been a part of the CMPA for 15+ years. Present to accept their framed certificates were Mr Chris Prowse from C.K. Prowse and Associates, Mr Chris Burgess from H.E. Parts International, Mr Terry Hickey from Gordyn & Palmer, Mr Anthony Mifsud from Indeco Australia, Mr Tim Greenham from Komatsu Australia, Mr Frank Santoro from Orica Australia, Mr Justin Roylance from Roylance’s, Mr Craig Staggard from Terex Jaques, Mr Shaun Den-Bakker from Tutt Bryant Equipment and Mr Jason Rudge from William Adams. Apologies were noted from Arthur J Gallagher, G.P. Smith Equipment, Galesafe Weighing, Landmark Contracting and Quarry Crete.

Tej also took the time to thank all of our Associates for their support throughout the year and acknowledged all of our sponsors. He made special mention of the new sponsorship category this year which is the Voting Members.

Silent Auction items were on display at the front of the room, and spirited bidding was conducted throughout the evening. Once the bidding was closed, the winners were as follows:

• Survey Markout and Boretracking Service Donated by Orica Australia
  Won by John Mawson of E.B. Mawson & Sons Pty Ltd.
• 3 Units of Training Donated by Box Hill Institute
  Won by Mark Cranny of Dandy Premix Quarries
• Operator Training or Simulator Use Donated by William Adams
  Won by Ron Kerr of Conundrum Holdings.
• Champagne Hamper Donated by Oli Vibrators
  Won by Stephanie Bruce from Crushing Equipment
• Blade Nano QX ready to fly drone Donated by XM2 Aerial
  Won by Ashley Day of Lima South Quarries
• Drill Rig Model Donated by Atlas Copco
  Won by Bill Wells of Hoare Bros.
• Excavator Model Donated by Onetrak
  Won by Jake Atkins of Burdett Sands
• Loader Model Donated by Onetrak
  Won by John Mawson of EB Mawson & Sons.
• Dressta Model Donated by Onetrak
  Won by Lew Dilkes of Crushing Equipment

Our feature entertainment this year was ‘Mid Life Crisis’ – with all of the members of the band employed by Komatsu and appearing as part of their Platinum Sponsorship arrangement. The band belted out some fantastic tunes with their first track (in their second set) ‘The Boys Light Up’ bringing many guests to their feet and on to the dance floor.

The evening ended on a high note and many guests decided to keep the mood going and move on to the ‘Atrium Bar’ downstairs after doors closed at 11:30pm.

Once again, a tremendous night was had by all.

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