John J Ballance, founder of the Dublin firm of project managers J J Ballance and Co, was awarded the OBE in the Queen's New Year's honours list. He won wide acclaim for his work on the £50m sterling Wellcome Wing at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London. The project, described as a "theatre of science," is acknowledged as one of the most successful Millennium projects in the UK. Mr Ballance set up a Dublin project management office in 1975 and opened a London office in 1985. In Ireland, work done by his company includes landmarks like the AIB Bankcentre in Ballsbridge and the Tallaght Hospital.