Geoff Davies

Bill is widely regarded as the 'father' of the Australian Coal Preparation Society in its present form, and was the treasurer on the foundation committee. As well, he was a long standing member of the NSW Branch committee. The Society recognises his significant contribution by the NSW Branch awarding, annually, the Bill McKay Scholarship.  His service is listed below: 

NSW Committee:

• 18 years on the Committee –between 1976-77 and  1991-92
• 2 years as Chairman –  1985-8 and 1986-87
• 9 years as Secretary –   from 1976-77 to1983-84
• 5 years as Treasurer –   from 1987-88 to1991-92 

National Board:

• 5 years on the Committee – in period 1989 to 1992-93
• 4 years as Treasurer –   from 1989 to 1991-92 

Conference Committees:

• 4 Local Organising Committees, including the First Australian Coal Preparation Conference in 1981 

Technical:

• Lecturer at Introductory and Advanced Coal Preparation Courses.
• Long-standing member of Standards Australia's coal preparation committee and its screening working group. 

Other:

• Instrumental in guiding the NSW Society into Registered Company status in the early 80's
•  Managed the corporate and legal aspects of the amalgamation of NSW and Queensland Societies into the Australian Society in 1988. 

Bill became an established figure in the industry through working for Allis Chalmers (now Allis Mineral Systems Australia); this started his long involvement with screens, culminating in his appointment as National Manager of Honert Vibrationtechnic in 1982. With both companies, Bill made his mark with bigger, better and more innovative screens. 

Bill McKay died on 25 January 1993 after a long, and for many of his colleagues unsuspected, battle with cancer. Typically, only days before his death Bill put Society second only to his family, making the final touches to Part 6 – Comminution and Screening in the Society’s Advanced Coal Preparation Monograph series.