Hire and Rental News - November 2014

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4 HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS • NOVEMBER 2014
ASSOCIATION
Building on the successes of the past
president's message
It is a great honour and privilege for me to assume the role
of the Hire and Rental Industry Association (HRIA) National
President.
Jeff Bernard, National President
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On behalf of the Association and our
members I would like to thank our Past
President, Mark Scarce for doing an
excellent job over the past four years. Mark
has successfully tackled many projects and
issues and I look forward to continuing to
work with him on the National Executive
to sustain the Association’s success and
growth, and I will certainly do my best and
hope to measure up to his example.
I have been involved with the hire
industry since making Australia my
home, after leaving the USA in the late
nineties. Working from a base level up to
management roles and then embarking
on creating Cool Breeze Rentals in 2002, I
have learnt and appreciated the highs and
lows and many challenges of the industry.
I am constantly learning and growing in
my corporate role and hope to bring the
same energy to the table in my role as
HRIA President.
I love the hire industry and see the benefits
a functioning industry association can
bring to the market. It is because of this I
became the Events Division President for
the HRIA in Victoria in 2007-08 and then
the Victorian President and a member
of the National Executive from 2009 to
2013. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time
within the Association and have met some
inspiring colleagues, friends and members
throughout, and I look forward to the new
challenges ahead.
One of the reasons the HRIA continues
its success is the strong leadership and
commitment of many HRIA members
throughout the years. We have been
fortunate to have dedicated Past
Presidents, National Executives, State
Presidents and Committees that have set
a very high standard and have grown the
Association into the strong and successful
position it is in today.
Without these amazing volunteer
contributions, our Association and industry
would not be as strong today as they have
become.
I look forward to our upcoming year
of State Meetings, National Executive
Meetings and our Convention and
Exhibition in Adelaide. I also look forward
to continuing to work with our members
and seeing you at our upcoming functions
and events.
Please feel free to contact me if you
should have any comments, suggestions
or recommendations regarding the
Association.
Many thanks,
Jeff Bernard
National President
GRA Leadership
Development
The HRIA has another successful
candidate who headed off to
America for a three week leadership
development program in September
2014. Sebastian Mattarelli from Coates
Hire NSW was based with Ted Cook at
Ventura Hire in California and attended
the ARA leadership workshop.
Sebastian's blogs of his three week visit
can be viewed at the GRA website:
Convention 2015
The 2015 HRIA Convention HIRE 15
'Destination Success' will be held at the
Adelaide Showground 28-30 April 2015.
The exhibition will again feature both
the indoor and outdoor exhibition at the
same venue. Held over two days, the
show looks set to be another big event
on the hire industry calendar and a high
level of interest has already been shown
from sponsors and trade exhibitors.
The exhibition is now 'on sale' and
all industry members interested in
sponsorship should contact Michelle
Grady on: 0414 332 550 or via email at:
PPSA
The PPSA is still a major issue for the
hire industry. The HRIA and EWPA
have submitted a letter to Bruce
Whittaker who is leading the review of
the Act. The initial report recognises
the affect the PPSA is having on the
hire industry and the HRIA hopes the
findings of a detailed investigation
will lead to changes. If you have
an examples where you have lost
equipment due to a customer going
into liquidation and a non-perfected
registration of your assets, please let
the Association know. They will help
strengthen the case the HRIA can put
in front of politicians.