Mike Thomas, 1953 - 2010
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Mike Thomas on 14 April after fighting kidney cancer for almost three years with resilience and fortitude – an example to us all. Despite his increasing frailty and debilitating medication he continued to contribute to HASTAM’s work with his usual clarity and incisiveness until near the end. He will be sadly missed by his immediate colleagues, and by the very large number of people with whom he worked professionally, many becoming personal friends.
Mike was Managing Director of HASTAM and the prime mover of the organisation from his appointment in 1991. He joined the company in 1990 following a successful career which included working in the pharmaceutical industry and local government. He also set up and managed the risk management division of the international insurance broker CT Bowring. He graduated as a chemist in 1976.
Mike possessed remarkable personal and intellectual attributes that made him extraordinarily well-qualified to run a company which prides itself not just for innovative product development, but also for maintaining rigorous standards in all its work. He kept us all on our toes, and demanded the highest quality in our consultancy and other services. Moreover he was keenly aware of the need to maintain high ethical standards. He was ready to turn down potentially lucrative work if he thought that it might not meet the true needs of a prospective client, or if there was a potential conflict of interest between existing and new clients. He was a man of principle who applied his principles in practice.
His great personal skill was in establishing long-term relationships with key clients, all of whom regarded him with affection and respect. He had a particular rapport with HASTAM’s consultants who he considered a key resource of the organisation. As a tutor he was equally at home lecturing at a high level to professional audiences, to very senior staff and to the people who were immediately at risk if things went wrong.
Mike was an enthusiast, not just for health and safety, but also his hinterland and escape - his enthusiasm for vintage Scammell Lorries. He delighted in restoring and driving his huge ex-military vehicles and until his health worsened and forced him to step down, was Chairman of the Scammell Register Committee although he continued to manage their excellent website [www.scammellregister.co.uk].
We wish to express our sincerest condolences to his widow Bridget and grieve with her in the untimely death of her husband.
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