BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal staff said goodbye to Colin Bloomfield this week in an emotional farewell that had both tears and laughter.
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Mr Bloomfield was humbled by the effort employees went to at a private function also attended by business and industry representatives.
External affairs head John Brannon welcomed everyone by saying "it is important to celebrate the success of Illawarra Coal under Colin Bloomfield's leadership".
He said it was consistent with his leadership style that Mr Bloomfield was leaving Illawarra Coal to make way for another promising young executive.
"But we will all be sad to see him go," he said.
BHP Billiton Metallurgical Coal Group president Hubie VanDalsen travelled from Brisbane to praise the job Mr Bloomfield had done.
"Personally Col, you have passed a very important test in my eyes," he said.
"That is 'the boss is sorry to see you go' test!"
Mr VanDalsen said Mr Bloomfield had not only been great to work with but, as president of Illawarra Coal, had made an enormous impact on the BHP Billiton business.
"Safety performance improved markedly, he steered Illawarra Coal towards growth and he secured, with his team, a number of critically important approvals.
"The company has a strong relationship with its employees, with its community and with its suppliers."
Mr VanDalsen said a core value of the team he led was to run the business responsibly.
"Col has shown real leadership in this area.
"Just as we do with safety ... we continually strive to improve our environmental performance and we work closely with the community in this regard."
Mr Bloomfield acknowledged the many partnerships the company had in the region and thanked members of the community involved in consultative committees for the positive impact they had on the business.He said relationships with suppliers, governments and customers were important and the management team he worked with was world class.
"I think the mining services sector we have here in the Illawarra is one of the best you will find anywhere.
"Customers in all parts of the globe are being serviced by the expertise and talent that comes out of the Illawarra."
After 13 roles in his first 19 years, Mr Bloomfield has been Illawarra Coal president for the past 8? years. During that time 500 extra jobs were created.
Mr Bloomfield said he could not have achieved what he had without BHP Billiton supporting him personally with his life choices and investing so much in the region.
New asset president Troy McDonald said Mr Bloomfield had made many contributions to the company and community and been a fantastic mentor, whose legacy would be the great strength he'd built in the management team which would oversee the creation of 200 extra roles for trainees, apprentices and graduates in the next five years.
