Resources women in dead heat for top award

The judges couldn’t separate Susan Denk, chief operating officer for the Brisbane-based Unidel group and Jennifer Mackenzie, mining manager for BMA’s Norwich Park coal mine in this year’s awards.
The awards presentation took place in front of more than 600 people at the QRC’s annual International Women’s Day breakfast, a record crowd.
Denk, a petroleum engineer has more than 15 years’ experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors, working in engineering, operations, management and executive positions.
In the early 1990s she was possibly the first female engineer to work in the Jackson oilfields in south-west Queensland and the first woman to work offshore for the giant oil and gas service provider Schlumberger in the Java Sea.
Denk was IT manager Middle East and Asia for Schlumberger, no mean feat in cultures where she was often required to be fully covered head to toe in an abaya robe.
While in the Middle East she became involved in Schlumberger’s education excellence program for schools, and is now on the board of Lourdes Hill College in Brisbane.
“It is important to me to play a role in creating greater options, not just for my own daughters, but for all bright young women out there who I have contact with through my mentoring, and interface with in my involvement with education,” said Denk.
Mackenzie has also broken new ground for women in the industry. Just last month she was the first woman to the appointed to the role of mining manager by BMA when she accepted the role at the company’s Norwich Park Mine.
It was also the first time a person from a processing background had been appointed as a mining manager within BMA.
In 2008, Jennifer was the first woman to be appointed to the role of coal handling and preparation plant manager by the company. She is only the second woman to have held an operational management position within BMA.
Mackenzie, a metallurgical engineer, is one of only 20 people globally to have been accepted last year into BMA’s accelerated leadership development program.
She is also involved in a myriad of community events around Dysart, particularly in women’s health and mentoring young women. Mackenzie was the founder of BMA’s Operational Working Women’s Group, which focuses on education programs and initiatives for girls and professional development for women.
“As a woman in my current position, I have the ability to not only positively influence those coming after me, but also set the standard by which all in the industry should expect professional women to conduct themselves.
“I am very aware of my responsibility to myself, those in my team, those who believe in me and support me every day and those who have provided me with some very special opportunities in my career,” she said.
Highly commended awards in the overall section went to Kylie Hughes production engineering officer Xstrata Copper Ernest Henry Mine; Catherine Brosnan operations director RPS Australia/SE Asia; and Tracey Tucker manager environment and sustainability Wesfarmers Curragh Mine (Blackwater).

Other awardees:
Trade Category:
Winner
Kerry Brisbane electrical team leader Xstrata Skills Centre Mount Isa
Runner up
Juanita Grillmeier HR advisor – training and development BMA

Operator Category:
Winner
Jan Simpson open cut examiner/assistant shotfirer
Runner up
Kylie Kerr leading hand/supervisor Peak Downs Mine Leighton Contractors
Highly Commended
Patricia Rankin production trainee Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Dawson Mine and
Louise Burridge washplant operator BMA Gregory mine.

Junior Category: (open to girls in Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy Schools)
Winner
Jessica Murphy Emerald State High School
Highly Commended
Cassie Dai Wavell State High School 0488 2018

Best Company Initiative Category:
Winner
Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Foxleigh Mine Hot Seat Crew.
Runner Up
Thiess Tarong Coal Project – local community training to operate haul trucks.
Highly Commended
BMA – employment of senior women’s adviser