Hall of Fame

BLIND MANUFACTURERS’ HALL OF FAME

Major Industry Award – Hall of Fame:

1999 was the inaugural year for the Hall of Fame Award, and the Award is made in the year of the Expo. The purpose of this Award is to honour a person who has been a major contributor to our industry over the past 40 years.

Inductees:

1999 – Matti Ruonala, Uniline

2001 – Bill Young, Windsor Products

2004 – Gerald Saltman, Hunter Douglas, and Albert Walmsley, Westral Home Improvements

2007 – Claudette Shakespeare, Helioscreen and Tass Zorbas, Sharatan Wholesalers

2010 – Joe Turner, Image Blinds

2013 – Ross Emms, Ireland Blinds, Peter Hartland, Hartlands Blinds, Carmelo Licciardi, Acmeda, Kristine Brown, Decor Blinds and Ron Bayley, Ozroll

2014 – Peter Meyer, Blinds by Peter Meyer

2015 – Robert Bailey, Bailey Blinds

2016 – Frank Cairns, Decor Blinds Australia Pty Ltd

2019 – Christopher Nolan, Nolan Group, and Tony de Maaijer, Ziptrak

2023 – Tony Politis, formerly Hunter Douglas, Dr Ibrahim Elassaad, CW Products and Bruce Turner (Wynstan)

2023 Hall of Fame Inductees

Dr Ibrahim Elassaad (left) and Bruce Turner (absent Tony Politis)

In June 2023, the following persons were inducted into the BMAA Hall of Fame:

Tony Politis, formerly Hunter Douglas Ltd
Dr Ibrahim Elassaad, CW Products
Bruce Turner, Wynstan

2019 Hall of Fame Inductees

Christopher Nolan and Tony de Maaijer

Christopher Nolan, Managing Director of the Nolan Group

Chris is the Managing Direcor of the Nolan Group, a national distributor of industrial textiles and outdoor blind and awning fabrics and related fittings, trading from seven locations nationally.

Chris was elected to the BMAA Board of Directors in November 2010. He has been the Chairman of the committee that has organised the three BMAA/STA extremely successful SuperExpos that have been held.

Tony de Maaijer, Managing Director of Ziptrak

Tony is the founder of Ziptrak Pty Ltd and inventor of Ziptrak Outdoor Blinds. Tony and his wife have had a significant impact on the industry as the popularity of the new track-guided outdoor blind category has resulted in job creation throughout Australia with many small and large businesses that distribute, fabricate and retail Ziptrak products.

BLIND MANUFACTURERS’ HALL OF FAME