HVIA is delighted to announce the appointment of well-known industry leaders Heather Bone and Shay Chalmers to its board of directors.
Both were formally appointed following a member vote at the industry association’s annual general meeting held last week in Melbourne.
The addition of Heather and Shay expands HVIA’s board to 10 members, headed by re-elected President John Drake of The Drake Group and Deputy President Miles Crawford of CMV Group.
NTI’s Tony Clark was also re-elected at the meeting, joining an impressive list of directors encompassing Rod Cunningham (Cunningham Consulting), Craig Lee (Penske Australia), Roy Lombardi (Howard Porter/Steelbro Trailers), Rob Smedley (Smedley’s Engineers) and Daniel Whitehead (Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific).
Following the AGM, John Drake said he was looking forward to working with both Heather and Shay “to positively improve HVIA and the heavy vehicle industry”.
Heather Bone says HVIA plays a critical role in bringing together the full supply chain for heavy vehicle fleets
As Team Global Express’s Director ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance), Heather Bone brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board, especially in environmental sustainability.
With a Bachelor of Laws (Corporate Governance, Sustainability, Environmental Law, Contracts) from the University of New England, Heather started out in investment banking before spending two years as National Marketing and Communications Manager at Volvo Group Australia.
A “fascination with fuel, trucks and big yellow machinery” led to her next role as CEO of the Biofuels Association of Australia and a career that has since focused on environmental sustainability at organisations such as Downer, Unity Water and Veolia.
Heather joined Team Global Express in September 2021 just as private equity firm Allegro Funds completed its acquisition of the Global Express division of Toll Group from Japan Post and has been the driving force behind the company’s ambitious decarbonisation strategy.
She says she’s “absolutely honoured” to have been appointed to the HVIA board.
“It is essential that we work together and collaborate with industry and government alike if we have any chance of meeting our future goals and HVIA plays a critical role in the industry, bringing together the full supply chain for heavy fleet,” says Heather, who sits on multiple government committees, including the Federal Government’s Fuel Standards Consultative Committee and its Alternative Fuels Strategic Issues Group.
Shay Chalmers is excited about contributing to the growth and strength of the heavy vehicle industry as a HVIA board member
As CEO of Brisbane-based trailer maker GLT – as well as Non-Executive Director of the Queensland Manufacturing Institute, Shay Chalmers brings to the board an impressive track record in high-tech manufacturing.
Prior to joining GLT in 2023, she was Managing Director of automation and robotics company Strategic Engineering Australia, and before that Head of Process Engineering and Global Project Manager at Cook Medical.
Shay says she’s honoured to join the HVIA board and is “excited about contributing to the growth and strength of our industry”.
With almost 20 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing management, Shay brings a “strategic perspective” to the board that combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of global industry challenges.
“As a manufacturing CEO, I see this as an opportunity to support and advocate for Australia’s manufacturing sector and collaborate on initiatives that enhance the heavy vehicle industry’s innovation, sustainability and global competitiveness,” she says.
Her commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, coupled with her passion for advancing STEM education and mentoring the next generation, aligns closely with HVIA’s objectives, Shay adds.