Mr John Ralph AO

1994

CITATION

Mr Chancellor, 

John Ralph was born at Broken Hill in 1932. There he studied accounting at the Technical College and there he began his career with the CRA Group before moving to Melbourne in 1961. In an association that has extended throughout the whole of his working life he became in succession Finance Director in 1971, Managing Director 1983, Chief Executive in 1987 and Deputy Chairman in 1993, remaining in the last role after his retirement in June of this year. 

In addition he has been Chairman of Comalco Australia, Deputy Chairman of the Commbnwealth Bank of Australia, and a Board member of several other companies and has been a leader in many business and industry related organisations. He has been President of the Business Council of Australia since 1993, President of the Australia/Japan Cooperation Commit­tee, President of the German/ Australian Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and an Executive Committee member of the Australian Mining Industry Council. 

His prominence in community affairs and his dedication to the promotion of higher education and research are illustrated by his Presidency of the Australian Centre for American Studies, his Deputy Chairmanship of the Queen's Trust, and his membership of the Business/ Higher Education Round Table, the Board of Management of the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Management and the Prime Minister's Science Council. In 1982 he chaired a national inquiry into Management Education for the Commonwealth Government. 

Not surprisingly his distinguished contributions have received widespread recognition through his Fellowship of the Australian Institute of Management, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Society of CP As. In 1988 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to the manufacturing industry and the community and in 1992 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws honor is causa by the University of Melbourne. 

Mr Chancellor, in recognition of his distinguished service to the Commonwealth of Australia through his contributions to the minerals industry, international business and the community, I present to you John Theodore Ralph, Officer of the Order of Australia, Honorary Doctor of Laws of the University of Melbourne, Fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, Fellow o'f the Australian Institute of Management, Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, for the conferral of the award of Doctor of Laws honoris causa, to which he has been admitted by the Senate of the University. 

Awards

Doctor of Laws honoris causa
1994