IN MEMORIAM – JUNE 2020

PATRICK FRANCIS (FRANK) CROWLEY

A fond farewell to a doyen of the construction industry

Mr Frank Crowley was born in Ireland on 29 January 1945 and obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Ireland in Cork in 1967.  He subsequently immigrated to South Africa and embarked on a successful civil engineering career ultimately leading to his appointment as Group Managing Director of LTA in 1998 and subsequently appointed as Group Managing Director of Grinaker-LTA after the acquisition of LTA by Aveng in 2000.

He resigned from this position in 2003, by which time he was already a Fellow of the Association of Arbitrators and had brought his considerable engineering expertise and interest in the commercial side of construction contracts to bear on many prestigious projects. These included the Gautrain, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, the University of Botswana Academic Hospital Project and the Mount Edgecombe Interchange, and numerous other projects where he served as a member of the dispute adjudication boards established for these major infrastructure projects.

Frank also accepted appointments as arbitrator and his wealth of engineering expertise allowed a clear insight into the problems giving rise to disputes leading to subsequent adjudications or arbitrations.  Frank never lost his Irish brogue and had a quick sense of humour and an infectious laugh.  He was a keen supporter of the Association of Arbitrators and his recent passing, following a stay in hospital, means we say goodbye to one of the doyens of the construction industry.  Frank is survived by his daughter Charné and three grandchildren.  The Association extends its sincere condolences to Frank’s family and friends.