Hall of fame honour for Gekko founder

THE Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame has named Elizabeth Lewis-Gray as a 2023 inductee.

Ms Lewis-Gray is the co-founder and chair of local mining technology and services businesses Gekko Systems and Gaia EnviroTech, and has been celebrated for her contributions to the manufacturing industry.

State Minister for Industry and Innovation, Ben Carroll, presented a surprised Ms Lewis-Gray with her award at a recent gala dinner, held to highlight Victoria’s exceptional manufacturing innovations and achievements.

“I am shocked,” she said. “This honour was totally unexpected, and I am blown away.

“I am passionate about Australia and Victoria being world’s best, and it’s important to me that my businesses, Gekko Systems and Gaia EnviroTech, are world’s best.

“Clearly, it’s not one individual but the team who make these companies globally competitive.”

Gekko Systems was launched in 1996 and is internationally known not only for its production of mining equipment, which is exported to 50 countries, but for the innovative development of its GeVentor.

This machine, made under the banner of Gekko Medical, is a Ballarat-built medical ventilator which was created within four months to increase the volume of devices available to hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

Local engineers and designers partnered with the Ballarat medical community, Community Bank Buninyong, Committee for Ballarat, international suppliers, and the State Government to make the GeVentor a reality, which went on to be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Gaia EnviroTech is a branch of Gekko with an aim to develop sustainable solutions for organic waste and renewable bioenergy.

Ms Lewis-Gray has been in the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame for the last 23 years.