The Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) is bringing back its ambassadors’ program for 2026 with a team of sector veterans and emerging leaders.
The Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) has announced that its ambassadors’ program is back for another year, following a successful launch in 2025.
The program was established to support new and existing IQA members and to strengthen engagement throughout the sector.
“Our ambassadors play a critical role in helping engage our membership base and providing support at a grassroots level to grow our numbers,” IQA chief executive officer Jane Schmitt said.
“We have seen increasing member numbers over the past 12 months and this is in no small part thanks to the tireless work of our IQA ambassadors. As they settle into their role, we are confident they will be a great support to new members.”
The IQA ambassadors will work with the organisation at all levels to help grow the membership base, increase awareness about the IQA within the sector and provide direct feedback to enhance its other initiatives.
To be selected for the program, nominees had to be current and active members of the IQA in good standing and passionate about the IQA’s mission.
Schmitt said that the ambassadors have been instrumental in helping the IQA.
“The quarrying and aggregates sector is a welcoming community, filled with passionate and talented people who really care for the sector and its future,” she said.
“We’re extremely proud of our IQA ambassadors. Being part of this important program underlines their commitment to the sector, and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve together. We have a series of exciting opportunities coming in 2026, including our national awareness program, ‘That’s Solid’, and the IQA National Conference at the Gold Coast in October. We thank the IQA ambassadors for volunteering to support the IQA’s endeavours.”
New IQA members can now connect directly with the 2026 Ambassadors through the IQA Connect app.
The app’s new member welcome hub forum brings new members and ambassadors together, allowing members to connect one-on-one with ambassadors, ask questions, seek guidance, and tap into the experience of these IQA veterans. You can download the IQA Connect app via your app store and log-in using your IQA website credentials. The IQA Ambassadors for 2026 include:
Blake Ardrey – SLR Consulting operations manager (QLD)
Greg Dressler FIQ – Heidelberg Materials Australia quarry manager (NSW)
Tylah Drochmann – Resources Victorian DEECA quarry approvals manager (VIC)
Charlie Eaton – Multotec Australia business development manager (QLD)
Jason Egan – Lantrak product development manager (QLD)
Steve Franklin – Eltirus chief executive officer and founder (QLD)
Frank Grech – Kayasand national sales manager (QLD)
Clayton Hill – SLR Consulting technical director (QLD)
Nick Lahman – Texcel sales and marketing manager (QLD)
Harry Lewis – The Neilsen Group concrete and quarry operations (QLD)
Richard Lightfoot – Casconsult P/L director (VIC)
Francis Lourey – Boral production manager for Peppertree Quarry (NSW)
Malcolm McDonald – Trainsafe director and trainer (NSW)
Carly Monaghan – SLR Consulting senior environmental consultant (VIC)
Mark O’Brien – Tenement and quarry specialist (SA)
Dean Olzard – ABC Training and Consulting general manager (QLD)
James Rowe – SLR Consulting technical director and growth lead (SA)
Allan Schoenfisch – Advanced Engineering Group key account manager (QLD)
Thomas Sherd – Adbri quarry manager (NSW)
Tegan Smith – SLR Consulting regional sector leader (QLD)
Michael Wilmott – Agile Screening national sales manager (VIC) •
For more information, visit quarry.com.au
The post Institute of Quarrying Australia ambassadors revealed appeared first on Quarry.