Note: The Order of Brilliant Star is a civilian order of the Republic of China, Taiwan, recognizing outstanding contributions to the development of the nation. The order was instituted in 1941 when the Republic of China was centred on the Chinese mainland, however when the Nationalists' retreated to Taiwan in 1949, the Order was to be continued there. It can be awarded to both domestic and foreign nationals. The centre of the medal has a five-pointed star in token of virtue. The name "Brilliant Star" comes from the ancient book of Records of the Grand Historian (史記) which says "The Brilliant Stars, which differs in appearance from time to time, shine upon the nations of the righteous."
Albert Allen Sealey (1932 – 2020) was born in Mayfair, Johannesburg. He joined the Rand Mines Group at the age of sixteen as a Learner Official at Crown Mines. He was awarded a bursary to study mining engineering at The University of the Witwatersrand. After graduating with a BSc Min Eng in 1955, he started his career with Rand Mines holding various managerial positions on the group’s gold mines.
In 1969, he attended the Programme for Management Development at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business, whereafter he returned to Rand Mines’ head office as assistant technical manager of the gold division. After this Sealey moved up the ladder in the Group very quickly. In 1972 he was appointed Deputy Chairman of Rand Mines Limited and Chairman of the Coal and Base Minerals Division. He was in charge of exploration, and from 1976 to 1992 he was an Executive Director of the Group’s holding company, Barlow Rand Limited. When Barlow Rand was unbundled in 1992, he was appointed Chairman of Randcoal and continued to serve as a director on various boards within the wider Barloworld Group until his retirement in 1994.
Sealey gave freely of his time and expertise to the wider community and industry as three-time Chairman of the Transvaal Coal Owners’ Association; as Chairman of the Collieries Committee of the Chamber of Mines; and Chairman of the Natal Associated Collieries from 1971 to 1993. Sealey served on the Council of Witwatersrand from 1984 to 1987; he was Chairman of the Witwatersrand/CSIR Schonland Research Centre for Nuclear Sciences from 1985 to 1992. In 1988 he was appointed a member of the Eskom Electricity Council and served on that body until 1992.
