NEWS
RMIT celebrates Queen's Birthday honours
BHP chairman Jacques Nasser, Wing Commander Leona Down and President of the Australian Institute of Architects Karl Fender were among the alumni recognised in 2017’s Queen’s Birthday honours.
Mr Jacques Nasser AC pictured with RMIT Chancellor Dr Ziggy Switkowski AO at the 2014 Jacques Nasser alumni reunion event. Photograph by Michael Rees-Lightfoot.
Nasser, who migrated to Australia from Lebanon at the age of four, graduated from RMIT in 1968 and went on to become one of the nation’s highest-profile business executives making his mark at Ford over three decades.
BHP chairman since 2010, Nasser is a generous supporter of RMIT and our students, and he has created scholarships and bursaries supporting rural students, entrepreneurial travel and most recently a series of initiatives and prizes supporting RMIT Activator’s start-up programs.
Nasser received the nation’s highest honour – the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to business and international commerce in the mining and manufacturing sectors through leadership and executive roles, to the development of sustainable policy frameworks for industry and government, and to the community as a philanthropist and benefactor.
Meanwhile, the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) of the Royal Australian Air Force has been awarded to Wing Commander Leona Down (Bachelor of Nursing) for outstanding achievement as the Project Manager of the Australian Defence Force Deployable Frozen Blood Project. Wing Commander Down's dedication, professionalism and inspirational leadership of the highly complex project significantly modernised operational transfusion policy and procedures.
Another notable migrant, Karl Fender was born in Indonesia to Dutch parents and came to Melbourne in the '50s. After completing his architectural studies, Fender’s career began as an ‘apprentice’ to fellow RMIT alumnus and Melbourne modernist architect Robin Boyd.
Fenders commitment to urbanisation and to championing architecture’s contribution to the public realm was recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to architecture, and to professional institutions. Since 2016, Fender’s firm Fender Katsalidis Architects have donated generously to the School of Architecture and Design’s global mobility travel scholarship fund, supporting students participating in the School’s Travelling Studio program.
A total of 17 RMIT University alumni received Queen’s Birthday honours. View the full list below.
Story: Tamara Grigg
For eminent service to business and international commerce in the mining and manufacturing sectors through leadership and executive roles, to the development of sustainable policy frameworks for industry and government, and to the community as a philanthropist and benefactor.
John Lines B Business (Transport Economics) 1982
For significant service to the shipping and transport logistics industries through leadership and advisory roles, and to professional organisations.
Frank Van Straten
For significant service to performing arts heritage and conservation as a theatre historian, as an author, and to the broadcast media.
Professor Denise Wood M Design (Graphic Communication) 2007
For significant service to education as an academic, researcher and practitioner in the field of participation, inclusion and access.
Anne Brackley Dip Business Management, 2009
For service to youth through Guilding, and to the community.
Shelley Faubel B Applied Science (Advanced Nursing) 1990
For service to the community of East Melbourne.
Karl Fender Cert Architectural Draftsmanship, 1966
For service to architecture, and to professional institutions.
Jeffrey Moorfoot B Arts (Photography) 1988
For service to the visual arts, particularly to photography
Elizabeth Kay Oke Grad Dip Human Services Research, 1990
For service to the community through support and counselling for fertility and human reproduction.
Peter Patisteas B Business (Business Administration) 1996
For service to the community of Melbourne.
Darryl Rice Cert IV Nursing, 2011
For service to the community through voluntary roles.
Peter Franks Ass Dip Engineering (Civil) 1967
For outstanding public service to local government in Queensland.
Bernard McCarthy Ass Dip Business Studies (Local Government) 1977
For outstanding public service to local government in Queensland.
Warrant Officer Nathan Holdforth Cert IV Nursing, 2011
Medal of the Order of Australia in the Military Division for meritorious service as the Senior Trade Medical Standards Warrant Officer at the Army School of Health and the Senior Medical Technician Army at the Directorate of Army Health, Army Headquarters.
Squadron Leader Anthony Kiernan Cert Basic Electronics, 1993
Medal of the Order of Australia in the Military Division for meritorious service in air lift capability development for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Wing Commander Leona Down B Nursing (Conversion)
Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding achievement as the Project Manager of the Australian Defence Force Deployable Frozen Blood Project.
Warrant Officer Lawrence Wallace Adv Dip Engineering Technology 2001
Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) for meritorious achievement as the Artificer Sergeant Major of 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment throughout the period January 2013 to July 2016.