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

Mr Vaughan joined ductwork specialist E Poppleton & Son Ltd as an installation assistant in 1973 and became managing director of the company in 1989.

From 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the association's North West 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 as its vice chairman in 2004. He was chairman of the Ductwork Group for three years from 2000.

Mr 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.

BESA chief executive Paul McLaughlin said: '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. Our thoughts are with his wife Sue at this sad time.'