One of Tauranga's very own has been nominated for a 2019 Attitude Award.

Halberg Foundation senior adviser Dave MacCalman has been nominated for the attitude employee award. He says he was nominated by his manager – Lucinda Searchfield.

'She asked if I would accept a nomination. I was surprised but delighted,” he says.

According to the Attitude Awards website, the attitude employee award recognises an employee who has proven themselves to be a great contributor to the company or organisation they work for. They will have served as an inspiration to other disabled people seeking employment and/or to employers who might be reluctant to employ a person with a disability.

Dave has been in a wheelchair for 40 years. He was at college in California on a basketball scholarship when he suffered a spinal cord injury.

Although being in a wheelchair ever since Dave says he has had a successful sporting career and has carried that work ethic into his professional life.

'I'm humbled to be nominated for this award. I never thought I would be nominated for such an award.”

Dave has worked for the Halberg Foundation for 15 years after retiring from high-performance sport at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

The Attitude Awards are a nationally televised event celebrating the achievements and successes of New Zealanders living with disabilities.

The event is taking place on Friday, November 22, and will be broadcasted on TVNZ1.