The Outstanding Contribution to TETRA Award was presented to Kees Verweij, ICT engineer for Public Safety within the Vts Police Netherlands organisation. The recipient of this Award is decided by the TETRA Association, and goes to an individual who has made a significant commitment to advancing TETRA.

Kees joined the Dutch Police in 1991 as a radio and system test engineer. He has been involved in C2000, the Dutch public safety network, from helping to write the requirements specification, through tender evaluation, contract negotiation and system testing to implementation and ongoing development. He is currently working on TETRA Interoperability, mobile data, TETRA Inter System Interface and Air-to-Ground operation, for which he specified the European frequency plan.

Kees represents C2000 on the TETRA Association Technical Forum, TETRA Association Operator/User Association, TC TETRA plenary and TC TETRA Working Group 1.

“Kees has a heart and soul connected to the TETRA standard,” said Hans Borgonjen, TETRA Association vice-chairman and a colleague of Kees for over a decade.

“He is committed to sharing nowledge and ensuring that project successes are made available on an international basis. He works for the good of the technology on a global basis.

“His extensive knowledge enables him to move effortlessly between industry and user groups, helping each to understand the other’s viewpoint and brokering compromise where necessary. And perhaps most importantly, he is always willing to help others.”

The Award was presented to Kees by TETRA Association chairman Phil Godfrey, who said: “Kees seems to have an almost unlimited appetite to contribute and to share his knowledge with others. He carries the respect of all those in the many working groups and user groups that he is involved with; but best of all he is a really nice person to know.”

Tetra Daily News - 29th May 2009