Des O’Callaghan wins the BCI Americas Award for Continuity and Resilience Contributor 2021
On April 29, 2021 Des O’Callaghan, FBCI was announced as the winner of the BCI Americas Award for Continuity and Resilience Contributor 2021.
In this category, the Judges were looking for evidence on how the individual has contributed to their local community, the BCI, other professional institutes or the wider business continuity / resilience profession outside of their normal day to day role.
When asked, Des’s response to winning the award was:
It was a thrill as well as an honour to receive the BCI Americas Continuity and Resilience Contributor award for 2021. I have been fortunate enough to win two other awards over the years, but this one really stands out for me as I believe strongly in the category. I dedicate it to contributors everywhere.
When the BCI introduced the Contributor award in 2020 as a new category, I felt it was a big step forward in acknowledging the importance of contribution to our profession. Recognizing excellence in all the other categories remains highly valuable in the BCI’s award scheme, but contribution is something more. For myself, someone who has not had a day job for 11 years now in semi-retirement, it is my main motivation. I continue to enjoy several roles in the BCI, including chairing the Canadian Chapter and the Americas Next Practice Group. As Lead Assessor for the past 3 years I have helped with the implementation of the new competency framework, which now provides better paths to membership and for upgrades in membership level. And of course it is contribution that distinguishes Fellowship in the certification pyramid.
I have long felt that business continuity roles are often taken for granted in organizations and only when disruption occurs, thrusting BCM people briefly into the limelight, is there recognition of the value. There are many contributors out there, helping to build and promote this wonderful profession all the time. I would strongly encourage many more nominations in this category in future years.
