Long-serving employee awarded International Lead Medal 

One of the International Lead Association’s longest-serving employees, Office and Events Manager, Maura McDermott, has been awarded the industry’s highest honour marking her retirement after 35 years of service.  

Mrs McDermott was presented with the International Lead Medal at Pb2023 (Thursday June 22), in Athens, by ILA chairman Florian von Steinkeller.  

Maura joined the Zinc and Lead Development Association in November 1988, as Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, David Ward. 

She started work at the association’s offices in Berkeley Square, London and during her career has been instrumental in three office moves. 

Following a series of reorganisations, the Zinc Development Association moved to Birmingham, and Maura stayed at the International Lead Association, and worked as EA to David Wilson who was then Managing Director of ILA.  Maura worked with David until his retirement in 2012. It was during this period that she helped induct a new ILA recruit, Dr Andy Bush, who joined the association on completing his doctorate.  

He went on to be appointed Managing Director following David Wilson’s retirement, and Maura became Andy’s executive assistant, and was promoted to Operations and Events Manager under his tenure.  

As a familiar face in the industry, Maura’s lasting legacy will be the many events she organised and developed during her career, starting in 1990 with 2ELBC in Brussels, right up to 18ELBC in Lyon, one of the largest lead battery conferences to date.  

Commenting on her career and the International Lead Award, she said: “It’s a real honour to be recognised by the industry to which I’ve devoted almost my entire career. It’s such a social and friendly industry, I will take with me many happy memories and just as many friends. I’ve enjoyed many aspects of the job, but I’ll particularly miss the events and the colleagues and delegates who helped make them such a success.” 

Dr Andy Bush, ILA Managing Director, said: “In three and a half decades Maura has made a huge contribution to the work of the lead association helping to make two of the major conferences supporting our industry – Pb and ELBC – the leading events they are today. She has been a much loved and respected point-of-contact for so many members and partners, as well as our employees. She’ll be greatly missed. 

“On behalf of the whole industry I would like to thank her for her unstinting loyalty and service over so many years and wish her a long and well-earned retirement.”