I’ve had a varied and interesting working life in the glass industry of twenty five years which has had 2 major influencers that have shaped my career to date. Allan Murray was one of those influencers. I first met Allan around 10 years ago, I was an Assessor / IV / Centre Coordinator in a major glass employer centre and on receiving the news that we were to be visited by GQA’s Chief Executive, I don’t mind admitting that I wondered what we / I’d done wrong with my thoughts then turning to panic and wondering how I was going to host the visit of such a high profile officer. I needn’t have worried – Allan listened to everything I had to say, including my tour of the factory and telling him everything that he probably already knew as if he were new starter. I remember feeling at the end of the day that it had been great to discuss thoughts and issues and be part of a two-way conversation about how qualification delivery could be improved to benefit both the people on the shop-floor and the business as a whole. I had been put at ease by Allan right from picking him up from reception to bidding farewell at the end of the day – it wasn’t the day I was expecting, and Allan’s approach was unexpected but very welcomed. I found that his approach wasn’t just extended to me (and no doubt all others he visited) as a ‘customer’ but to his staff as well when, in 2005, I joined the team at GQA as Technical Officer (after quite a long and difficult interview with Allan and GQA Director Gwyn Baker!). It was a very daunting step for me to leave my previous employer whom I had been with since leaving school, but the opportunity to work in an environment I had a passion for, and for a man who had that very same passion was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. Allan was passionate about people development and qualifications, he was also passionate about his family, both at home and his family at GQA and this was always evident throughout my time working for him. Strategic meetings were always interspersed with stories of his wife, children and grandchildren, never hindering our meeting objectives, but lightening the day and giving an insight into Allan that to us brought his Lancashire family closer to his Yorkshire family. I learnt from Allan’s approach over the years working for him, yes I have my own ideas and thoughts, but I have the same passion for GQA and the industries that we work within as Allan had, and I believe that Allan’s influence has been a great benefit. Many of us can probably point to a number of people who have helped or influenced us in some way; I count myself very lucky to have known and had the opportunity to work for and with Allan Murray. RIP Allan