Person

Connolly, Willis Henry (1901 - 1981)

CBE

Born
25 November 1901
Benalla, Victoria, Australia
Died
13 February 1981
St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Electrical engineer and Public servant

Summary

Sir Willis Henry Connolly was an electrical engineer noted for his long and significant career with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, almost from its beginnings, rising to become the Chairman and General Manager from 1956 to 1971.
He also played a lead role in transforming non-university tertiary technical education in Victoria from 1965 to 1980 - as Chairman of the State Advisory Council on Technical Education; as Interim Chairman, and as President of the Victorian Institute of Colleges.
He is commemorated by the Sir Willis Connolly Medal awarded jointly by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Barbarians.

Details

Chronology

c. 1919
Career position - Workshop position, Edward Campbell & Son Pty Ltd, engineers
1919
Career event - Foundation Student Member (StudIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
c. 1920
Career position - Student engineer, Richmond Power Station, Melbourne Electric Supply Co. Ltd.
1921
Career position - Clerical position, State Electricity Commission of Victoria, Yallourn
1922 - 1927
Career position - Junior engineer, Electric supply branch, State Electricity Commission of Victoria, Melbourne
1923
Education - Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (BEE), University of Melbourne
1927
Career event - Junior Member (JrIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1927 - 1929
Career position - Engineer, Briquetting and Research branch, State Electricity Commission of Victoria [under Hyman Herman]
1929 - 1931
Career position - Assistant Manager, Electrical sales, State Electricity Commission of Victoria [formulating new tariffs]
1932 - 1937
Career position - Assistant Manager, Metropolitan Electricity Supply, State Electricity Commission of Victoria [furthered the conversion of the supply to three-phase]
1933
Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1936
Education - Diploma of Commerce (DipCom), University of Melbourne
1937 - 1948
Career position - Manager, State-wide electricity supply department, State Electricity Commission of Victoria [extending rural electrification, and uniform tariffs]
1947
Education - Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), University of Melbourne
1948
Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1949 - 1955
Career position - Assistant General Manager, State Electricity Commission of Victoria
1956 - 1971
Career position - Chairman and General Manager, State Electricity Commission of Victoria
1957
Award - Kernot Memorial Medal, for distinguished engineering achievement in Australia. Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne
1961 - 1965
Career position - Chairman, State Advisory Council on Technical Education
1962
Award - Order of the British Empire - Commander (CBE) - Chairman of the Victorian Electricity Commission
1962 - 1968
Career position - President, World Power (Energy) Conference
1965 - 1967
Career position - Interim Chairman, Victoria Institute of Colleges
1967
Award - Doctor of Engineering honoris causa (Hon DEng), Monash University
1967 - 1974
Career position - First President, Victoria Institute of Colleges
1968
Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia
1968
Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]
1971
Life event - Retired from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria
1971
Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - In recognition of service to the Victoria Electricity Commission
1971 - 1981
Career position - Consulting engineer
1978 - 1980
Career position - President, Victoria Institute of Colleges
1980
Award - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, Federal Republic of Germany

Related Corporate Bodies

Related People

  • Herman, Hyman (1875 - 1962)

    Willis Connolly was seconded to work with Hyman Herman, Briquetting and Research branch, State Electricity Commission of Victoria, 1927 - 1929.

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Institution of Engineers Australia, 'People - Sir Francis Blackwood; John Pritchard; Nick Zorbas; Frank Lees; Obituary: Sir Willis Connolly; R. S. Hopkins; Dr Keith Walshe; Doug Chatfield; Neil van Hazel; Ross Hicks; Dr Steve Szololay; Bruce Robinson; Neville Jones.', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 53 (4) (1981), 34. Obituary, brief biography and photograph. Details

Reports

  • Institution of Engineers Australia, Forty-ninth Annual Report [1968] (1969), 14 pp. 'Prizes - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal (1968 Award), to Dr W H Connolly, CBE BEE BCom DEng FIEAust', p.3. Details

Ken McInnes

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