Hall of Fame Inductees Engineering Heritage

George Donald FRY AO HonFIEAust CPEng FTSE FRINA CMarEng FIMarEST

INDUCTED IN 2003

Donald “Don” Fry’s career began in well as a Member of the National Committee working at his father’s business, rising from on Manufacturing, receiving many awards and apprentice fitter and turner to Chairman recognitions including the AGM Michell Medal of the Board in 1986. The business which in 1997 for his contribution to mechanical became NQEA Pty Ltd in 1966 engineering. was a diversified manufacturer for the sugar, After also claiming the Peter Nicol Russell agriculture, mining and fishing industries. Memorial Medal in 1999, Don was elected Don obtained a Diploma in Mechanical to the Engineering Hall of Fame in 2003 and and Electrical Engineering (University of received the Eric Brier Memorial Award in Queensland) in 1960, establishing his strong 2008 – also being named among the Top 100 fundamental understanding of engineering Australia’s Most Influential Engineers in 2006. principles and practice. He also received the innovation Hero Award from Sydney University ‘s Warren Centre for During his leadership at NQEA, the Advanced Engineering and was appointed organisation entered the boat building and one of the Governors of the Centre, and was maintenance industry and won the contract to appointed Adjunct Professor in the University build 14 Australian Fremantle Class patrol boats of Queensland School of Engineering. for the Australian Navy that entered service in the 1980s. NQEA later built luxury pleasure Besides his business and scientific interests boats, catamarans and ferries to clients Don has extensive involvement with the worldwide. community. Don is best known as the owner and Chair of In 2003, Don was made an Officer of the Order AIMTEK – Aerospace, Industrial and Marine of Australia and went on to chair Australia’s Technology (formally NQEA Australia), a large, National Committee advising the Government Cairns-based engineering firm that specialises of Australia on homelessness. He also was in Research and Development, Design and chair of the Engineering Manufacture and Project Management for a Advisory Board and was inducted into the range of products for the Aerospace, Industrial, Queensland University of Technology Hall of Mining and Marine industries. Fame. He is a lifelong board member of Lifeline Cairns and has been a member of the Cairns As an active member of Engineers Australia Salvation Army Advisory Board. throughout his career, Don served as the Chair of the Cairns Regional Committee as

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