John Boyd - 2003
CSEG Honorary Membership Award Citation for John Boyd
by Ralph Lundberg, P. Geoph.
John Boyd has always been a hard person to keep up to but has been an easy person to look up to. John has received recognition from his peers so often that the following history is probably well known to most members of our Society. A graduate of the University of Toronto with a B.Sc. in Engineering Geophysics in 1960, he began his career with the predecessor of Amoco Canada. in Edmonton. After six years of major oil company life, John joined an innovative consulting firm, following which he spent the next ten years engaged in the consulting and data processing fields, with stints in Canada, Australia and England representing companies like Seismotech, I.B.M. and Digitech.
In 1977 John returned to Canada to found the consulting practice that has grown to the present firm, Boyd PetroSearch. Along the way John participated with other members of the geophysical community in the forming of research and mapping technology companies. Throughout this odyssey, John maintained an interest in advancing technical knowledge. He delivered well received technical papers, winning a Best Paper Award and an Honorable Mention Award at C.S.E.G. and S.E.G. conventions respectively in addition to sharing his expertise at gatherings from China to the Netherlands. John served as President of the C.S.E.G. in 1986 and championed our industry's cause during the dark period of the oil price collapse that welcomed him into office. His contributions to our Society have already been recognized as he has received the Meritorious Service Award and the C.S.E.G. Medal.
John always regarded his fellow geophysicists as colleagues rather than competitors which is probably the hallmark of someone who has an equal mix of curiosity and confidence. This attitude led him to become very involved in APEGGA affairs, serving on Council from 1996 to 1999, chairing and working with committees important to the geophysical community, including the development of seismic quality inspection standards and the Chief Geophysicists Forum. He is currently chairing the Master License Committee.
During this active professional life, John has found time to participate in the largest Rotary Club in Canada, serving with distinction as its President in 2001-2002.
So, what do you give the man who has everything? Why the distinction of Honorable Membership in our Society, of course! And while I think of it, I promise to return to John his copy of Homer's Odyssey which he lent me years ago.
