VALE MENNO HENNEVELD
It saddens me to inform you all that Menno Henneveld passed away on 6 June 2021.
Menno was the inaugural Chairman of the ASTT who dedicated a significant proportion of his working life to both Trenchless Technology and the ASTT.
Menno arrived in Australia in 1952 as the son of a Dutch emigrant and grew up in country Western Australia. He graduated from the University of Western Australia with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1968 and started his career with the Public Works Department of Western Australia.
After a career path that had a strong focus on the operations and maintenance of water supplies, wastewater schemes and irrigation and drainage schemes, as well as program and project delivery in water infrastructure, he became heavily involved in Trenchless Technology in 1987. As a senior manager for the Water Authority of Western Australia, he was responsible for the purchase and deployment of microtunnelling equipment, a responsibility that later increased to cover the application of Trenchless Technology on all of the State’s water and wastewater programs.
Menno’s leadership qualities were further recognised when he was appointed the Commissioner for Main Roads for Western Australia, a task he thoroughly enjoyed from 2002 till 2012.
This interest in Trenchless Technology led to the formation of the ASTT in that saw Mr Henneveld become the inaugural chairman of the Australian (later Australasian) Society for Trenchless Technology (ASTT), which spanned a period from 1991 till 2012. Over this period listed under are some of his achievements.
- On 11 March 1991, the Australian Society for Trenchless Technology was incorporated under Mr Henneveld’s direction. Membership at that time consisted of 13 Corporate and 20 Individuals.
- Signed the Affiliation Agreement in 1991 with the ISTT to become the 7th Affiliated Society
- In October 1991, ASTT conducted its first council meeting that was held in Brisbane with 20 attendees. This meeting was also attended by a delegation of members of the JSTT, led by Dr Toyama. This provided encouragement for the ASTT, and the first business planning session was conducted at this workshop.
- Initiated the ASTT’s first National Conference and Exhibition that was held in Melbourne in 1992 which now continue to be held every 2 years.
- Initiated 2 International No-Digs with the first in Perth in 2000 followed by another in Brisbane in 2006
- 2004 formalised the Trenchless Australasia Magazine agreement with GSP now Prime Creative Media for ASTT members
- Served as an active member of the ISTT’s ESC for several years and during this period
- Chaired a working group to produce ISTT’s first Strategic Plan in 1994.
- In 1998 he was appointed one of two Vice Presidents of ISTT
- In 2005 appointed Chairman of the International Society for Trenchless Technology
- Developed the Trenchless 2K5 Strategic Plan for the ASTT
- In 2013 appointed a Life Member of the ASTT
On a personal note, Menno has previously said to me that “None of this interest or involvement in both my career and Trenchless Technology would have been possible without the loving support of my wife, Monika.”
Menno, you will be missed but your legacy continues on.
Jeff Pace
ASTT Secretary
