Nomination

2010 CCA Award for Excellence

In conjunction with the admin staff at Shoalhaven Bereavement Services I would like to nominate Pierre du Parte for the CCA Award for Excellence for his long-term dedication and tireless contribution to help advance the professionalism of the cemetery and crematoria industry and funeral industry as a whole.

Throughout his career in the funeral industry, now over 28 years, Pierre has consistently and continually demonstrated his commitment to improving the professionalism of the industry and in helping people within the industry time and time again.

From when he started his career with Services and Investments, now InvoCare, Pierre found it necessary to be involved in employee/employer/union issues in order to make sure the employees had a voice regardless of the politics of the industry at the time. His passion and effectiveness in getting involved in industry issues worked so well that the union was happy to support Pierre leaving Sydney in 1985 to further his career as manager of Wollongong Cemeteries and Crematorium. A position he held for some years until moving to the Shoalhaven as manager of the Shoalhaven Bereavement Services. It was from the point when he left Sydney, that Pierre became committed to the professional development of our industry on a number of fronts. I call them fronts because Pierre never backed away from an issue or a challenge and is always prepared to share his ideas with others.

 His dedication and achievements included but are not limited to:

 Developing the CCA website as Webmaster since its inception to the present. His vision for the website as a tool for exchange of information, the face of the industry and in moving the association into the IT age has been an endless time consuming project that has both achieved the vision as well as saved the association a great deal of expense.

Development of the Final Filer software program. Another vision of Pierre’s to designed and write a database that is within the means of the smallest cemetery to both afford and run for their operations. Something that had never been done before and is now available across the world in a free download form.

• Developing the Grave Safe course, the first in Australia, when it became clear to him that the industry needed a common standard of professionalism and safety in carrying out a burial.

• Giving up his time as a member of the education committee to work on the review of the National Funeral Industry Training Package from 2001. Today Pierre still gives his time to assist in the development of training for our industry.

• Development of a funeral booking form which Pierre shared with other managers and, as a result, the form became the catalyst and prototype for the systems now used in most cemeteries.

• Developed the Guidelines for Safe Working Practices in Cemeteries adopted by CCA.

• Developed the OH & S Guidelines for Contactors in Cemeteries and Crematoria now adopted by the association as a standard for the industry in NSW.

• President of the CCA from 1994 – 1996. During this time Pierre became the driving force behind CCA adopting the policy of having regional meetings. This decision was to allow members in regional areas the opportunity to attend CCA meetings and get to know their colleagues. Something they would not normally be able to afford to do. During the 1994 -1995 period, meetings were held in Newcastle, Albury and Port Macquarie. This move had a tremendously positive affect on the members and is continued to today.

 Pierre’s commitment to due diligence has manifested in his preparedness to engage in discussions at association meetings with at times passionate gusto. He calls a spade a spade and has spent many evenings with colleagues debating the principles, ethics and at times altruistic philosophies of an issue. This includes making people aware of the responsibilities and professionalism of all people in our industry and what they should or should not do in certain situations.

 I know Pierre will go on doing what he does because it is in his makeup and that is why he has become a mentor to so many people and is much deserved of this award.

 

Derek Williams

General Manager

Rookwood Anglican & General Cemetery Trusts

P. 02 9746 2177

F. 02 9764 2689

A. PO Box 4, Lidcombe NSW 1825

Hawthorne Avenue, Rookwood NSW 2141

W. www.rookwoodcemetery.com.au

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