Gareth Vaughan, past president of the Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA), has died aged 62.

Mr Vaughan joined ductwork specialist E Poppleton & Son Ltd as an installation assistant in 1973, and became managing director of the company, which is based in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, in 1989.

He was chairman of the association's North West Region from 1994 to 1996, and became a member of the Council, and of the Executive Committee of the Ductwork Group, in 1997. In the same year, he joined the Membership Committee and was elected its vice chairman in 2004. He was chairman of the Ductwork Group for three years from 2000.

Gareth Vaughan became president elect of the association in July 2007, and succeeded to the presidency at its annual general meeting on 10 July 2008.

Following his presidency, he was appointed chief negotiator for the Operative National Agreement, and was elected chairman of the Operative Standing Committee (later the Employment Policy Committee) in November 2009.

'Gareth was of tremendous help to me when I began my journey with the association last year, and his dedication, passion and involvement will be keenly missed by many,' commented the BESA chief executive Paul McLaughlin. 'Our thoughts are with his wife Sue at this sad time.'