Conference Speakers

Keynote Speakers

John Gledhill - Chief Officer, Tasmania Fire Service (Retired)

John recently concluded a 35 year fire service career; serving his current position since 1995. A fellow of the IFE , he was also awarded the Australia Fire Service Medal in 2000. He served as Treasurer of AFAC from 1995-2000 and then as its President for 3 years. He is currently a Director on the Governing Board of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. John was actively involved in the development of the AFAC position on Prepare, Stay and Defend or Go Early and represented this at the Victorian Royal Commission.

David Packham - Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University

David has worked for 50 years in bushfire research at CSIRO, Monash University , The Australian Emergency Management Institute and in fire weather policy at the Bureau of Meteorology. His research has concentrated on the physics and chemistry of bushfires and has been applied to practical issues including the development of aerial prescribed burning, non-evacuation of properties, modelling of fire behaviour and forensic investigation of firefighter deaths. He is currently an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Monash University.

Peter Holland - Chief Fire Officer, Lancashire Fire & Rescue

Currently the Vice President of the UK Chief Fire Officers Association Peter is also an elected member on the NFPA Board. He is a Past International President and Vice Chairman of the IFE and established and chaired the National Fire Sprinkler Network in the UK . He was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal in Her Majesty's Birthday Honours List in 1997 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 1998. He was also awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Queen's Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1992.

William Stewart - International President, Institute of Fire Engineers

Chief Stewart is a 37 year Fire Service cetran having served in the former City of North New York Fire Dept. for 26 years prior to the amalgamation of the new City of Toronto in 1998. He has served as an operations fire fighter, Captain, Administration Chief, Assistant Deputy, Deputy Chief and the Fire Chief since 2003.

Bill has served as a member of the Professional Standards Setting Body, Ontario Fire College, in review of all standards for the fire figher training in Ontario. He is also past President, IFE (Canada Branch), Advisory Board member of Humber College, Fire Services Program and Durham College, Fire Service Program as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council. He also serves as the International President of IFE and immediate past President of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, International Asociation of Fire Chiefs/National Fire Protection Association. Bill is committee to life long learning and is currently serving as a board member for Public Administration and Governance, Ryerson University.

Speakers

Norm Winn - Director, Norm Winn & Associates Pty Ltd

Formerly Assistant Chief Officer with the CFA, Following Ash Wednesday appointed Members of the Bushfire Reconstruction Task Force. Presenter for Building Commission introduction of Victorian Bushfire Regulations & AS3959. Chair of AS3745 Standards Committee, Member of Standards FP01 and FP22. Applies Bushfire Regulations in the field and innovative Emergency Response to Private & Public Sectors.

Peter Johnson - International Manager, Arup

Peter is a Fellow and a Director of the Global Consulting Sector Board at Arup, an international firm of engineering and business consultants. Peter leads Arup's international fire engineering business and has particular interests in fire safety engineering, risk assessment, corporate risk management, and regulatory reform.

David Barber - Pricipal, Arup

Over the last eight years David has project managed the Hong Kong performance based fire code consortium. He was awarded the 2008 Barry Lee Fire Protection Scholarship and is a member of the Victorian Building Appeals Board, Society of Fire Protection Engineers Board of Directors and Society of Fire Safety Treasurer.

John Tucker - Chief Executive Officer, Standards Australia

In June 2004, John Tucker joined Standards Australia as Chief Executive Officer. John has had a diverse career path traversing public and private sectors, political advising and has held previous CEO positions in the fields of injury management, OHS risk management and industry association management.

Andrew McKee - Associate, Murdock Clarke

Andrew has been practising law since 1992 and has extensive experience as solicitor and counsel before the Supreme Court of Tasmania, Federal Court of Australia, Federal Magistrates Court, Family Court of Australia, Magistrates Court Civil Division, Court of Petty Sessions and Workers Compensation Tribunal. Andrew is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Law Society of Tasmania.

Ian Pentony - Retired, NSW Fire Brigade

Ian recently retired from the NSW Fire Brigades after 36 years service, reaching the position of Operational Commander. He also spent 3 years in FIRU as a researcher & fire investigator. His accomplishments include a Masters in Fire Safety Engineering, graduate of IFE, University Certificate of Management, awarded commendation for Meritorious Service and is a member of the editorial committee - IFE Fire magazine Australia

Matthew Wright - Fire Safety Program Leader, CFA

Matthew's background includes building control and enforcement, plus certification of commercial and residential construction projects. He worked at the City of Melbourne, Scott Wilson, and Philip Chun and Associate before joining the CFA Structural Fire Safety department. He's also a member of the FPA Australia Victorian State Committee and a Board Member to the Building Appeals Board.

Tass Georgas - Acting Manager, Community Safety Technical Department, MFESB

With over 15 years experience in the building surveying and fire safety engineering disciplines he is currently the Acting Manager of MFB's Community Safety Technical Department. Tass' academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Technology in Building Surveying, Masters of Engineering in Construction Management and a Graduate Diploma in Fire Safety and Risk Engineering.

Peter Wright - Station Officer, MFESB

Peter has been involved with the MFB for over 25 years in many fire and hazardous material roles. More recently Peter moved into the Fire Investigation & Analysis Unit. Peter has completed the Victoria Police Bomb Scene Examination course and a Clandestine Laboratory Investigators course. Currently Peter is undertaking a Diploma of Fire Technology in Fire Investigation.

Keith Thomas - Director, Thomas Independant Certification

Keith has had over 35 years experience as a Building Surveyor starting as Structural Engineer/ Building Surveyor at North Sydney Council for ten years followed by Gold Coast City council. In 1987 he starting his own Consultant Building Surveyor company, providing advice to Architects, Engineers and Developers to assist in making the building approval process more efficient.

Geoff Flower - Engineering Services Manager, Walker Fire Protection

Geoff has over 9 years experience working in the consulting engineering sector both with Norman Disney & Young and Warrington Fire Research Australia. He has an electrical engineering degree from Monash University, a post grad certificate in performance based building and fire codes and a diploma in fire safety and risk engineering from VUT.

Rob Rogers - Assistant Commissioner, NSW Rural Fire Service

Rob has more than 28 years experience with the Fire services, ranging from volunteer to Assistance Commissioner. Rob has represented the Service in international projects and fire fighting operations in the United, States Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Brazil and in 2002 was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal.

Andre Mierzwa - Operations Chief Engineer, FM Global

Andre graduated as an Aeronautical Engineer from RMIT in 1973 and worked for the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation before joining Factory Mutual, where he's been for over 34 years. He's worked in various countries in both engineering and managerial roles and is currently the Australian Operations Chief Engineer, spending much of his time on a number of Australian Standards Committees dealing with Fire Protection.

Roger Thomas - Technical Manager, Tyco Fire & Security Products

Roger works as Technical Manager - Fire with Tyco Fire and Security. Following a year as a co-opted Director, he was elected to the Board in November 2004. Roger has worked in Fire System design and engineering at Wormald for 30 years. He is convenor of FPA Australia's Technical Committee 4 - Sprinkler and Hydrant, a member of Standards Australia Committees FP/04 - Sprinklers, FP/01 - Maintenance Fire Systems and FP/11 - Gaseous Agent and Water Mist Systems, and has recently taken on the role of NTAC Chair.

Suzy Cowan - Manager Codes & Standards Pacific, Tyco Fire Suppression & Building Products

Suzy is manager of Codes and Standards (Pacific) for Tyco International and has over 14 years experience through various divisions & positions. She's currently serving on the FPA Australia technical committees TC4 (Sprinkler & Hydrants) and TC11 (Special Hazards) as well as the Victorian state committee and the FP/04 working group for the AS4118 revision.

Nabeel Kurban - Victorian Engineering Manager, Exova Warringtonfire Australia

Nabeel has been a consultant with Exova Warringtonfire for over 12 years and has extensive experience in residential, healthcare, retail and commercial/industrial projects. He also spent over 8 years as fire safety engineer with the MFB. During which he was involved with Australian Standards and fire safety programs.

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