Former SPASA Queensland CEO David Close passes away

David Close, formerly Secretary of SPASA Queensland for 16 years, collapsed and passed away suddenly at home on the night of February 19, 2014. He was 67.

He was well known as a passionate advocate of the industry – especially the Queensland industry – and of training across the country and into the region. He promoted Queensland companies overseas including in Europe through his contacts in Spain.

He was always willing to assist with information and advice, and had personally helped the SPLASH! team on several occasions over many years.

Current SPASA Queensland president Andrew Jakovac says: “David served our industry in his capacity at SPASA Queensland for some 16 years of unbroken and memorable history. His achievements were too many to mention in full, including steering the association through multiple rocky patches, establishing and maintaining one of the most comprehensive industry contracts, and steering the industry away from complete shutdown through the water restrictions. Other who knew him longer than I did could talk for hours I’m sure.”

One of those in the industry who knew him longer that most was Rod Webb, president of SPASA Queensland for 13 of Close’s 16 year tenure.

“He had a real personality,” says Webb. “That drew a lot of people to him, and most really liked him. There were some detractors who didn’t like him but to be honest, they often weren’t people who actually knew him well.

“He was always working for the betterment of the industry.”

Webb says that Close showed great skill in lobbying and negotiating with the Building Service Australia (BSA), Australian Standards and other organisations.

“David was a wiz at doing that and getting the protocols set,” he says.

“In 1996, he was the first secretary of SPASAC, the precursor to SPASA Australia. He started the Watertight insurance scheme, which no-one else had in the country at that time. NSW and Victoria couldn’t have it because of government regulation, but eventually South Australia and Western Australia adopted something similar. It gave SPASA a new compelling advantage for members,” he says.

“He was interested in expanding the industry. He was an advocate of trying to build the industry up in the eyes of government. He always said, ‘we’re such a small little segment of the building industry. If we don’t make some noise they’ll just forget about us’.”

Staff who worked with Close say he was not a micro manager, but let them get on with their work, which they appreciated. They say it made for a great working environment.

Close took a delegation of Queensland builders and suppliers to Barcelona for the Salon Piscina BCN, including companies such as Australian Innovative Industries (AIS) that later gained great success in the European market. He started the National Swimming Pool Institute (NSPI) in an attempt to promote education and training amongst the industry and develop a licensing pathway, initially in Queensland and then nationally, and went to both Auckland and Singapore to try and spread the training footprint into the region.

Unfortunately, it was his two achievements of NSPI and the Watertight scheme that combined to cause him trouble after he’d retired. However, his aim had been to promote the industry and industry training, and his actions were clearly intended to ensure that remained a viable possibility.

He had lost four close relatives in the years just prior to his retirement and decided he should leave to make sure he enjoyed some time with his beloved wife Beverley and his family. Unfortunately, that time was very short.

He left behind wife Beverley, two sons and a daughter, and two sons from Beverley’s previous marriage.

SPLASH! offers sincere sympathies to all family and friends.

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