In acknowledgement of the 40th anniversary of the Queensland Truck and Machinery Show, the CVIAQ Board of Directors have awarded the CVIAQ Industry Recognition Award to the group of industry identities who were responsible for the creation and the subsequent organisation of the 1968 inaugural Queensland Truck Show.

The announcement of the names of these special people and the award presentation took place at the conclusion of the CVIAQ Annual General Meeting held at the Clem Jones Sunland Leukaemia Foundation Support Village at Coopers Plains on Wednesday evening 22nd October.

The 2008 CVIAQ Industry Recognition Award recipients and the companies they worked for at the time of the first Queensland Truck Show in 1968 are:

Spencer Grammer Haulmark Trailers

Ed Kopittke  Haulmark Trailers

Bernie Quinn Haulmark Trailers

Theodore (Ted) van Fleet  Australian Truck Sales

Robert (Bob) Slack  Swedish Motors

Val Burns  Oxley Truck Parts

John Wyman   J Wyman & Co Accountants

Bill Hart  Mercantile Credits

Des Mitchell  The Brown & Hurley Group Rocklea

Henry (Harry) Townsend  Leyland Motors

This group of people provided the foundation for the future success of the Queensland Truck and Machinery Show, being the core group to organise the second show in 1969 and taking the show from strength to strength throughout the 1970’s.

This same group of people also established the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland in 1970 and became the team who initially administered the running of the Association. They also played a significant role in bringing the individual state commercial vehicle associations together to form the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Australia (CVIAA).

Of the four surviving members of this group, Mr Ted van Fleet and Mr Des Mitchell were in attendance to receive their awards. Family members were invited to attend to receive the awards on the behalf of the remaining recipients.

In response to receiving his award, Mr Ted van Fleet said he felt honoured that the industry had acknowledged the hard work that he and the rest of the group had made in developing the Show and the Association in their fledgling years. He also commented that even though this was a very happy occasion he felt sad that so many of the original group had passed away.

A further acknowledgement of the contribution this group of people made to the initial success of the Queensland Truck and Machinery Show and to the industry as a whole will be made in May next year at the official opening of the 2009 Queensland Truck and Machinery Show.

The first Queensland Truck Show was held in August 1968 (to coincide with the Brisbane Exhibition) in the grounds of Haulmark Trailers at Rocklea and ran for six days.