New president at IRTENZ

2 Minutes•By NZ Trucking magazine•July 21, 2017

Dom Kalasih has been appointed president of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers New Zealand (IRTENZ). Kalasih was voted in at a council meeting last Friday (14 July) in Tauranga.

Outgoing president David Rodgers has been in the role for five years. “I‘ve really enjoyed my time as president and it‘s an ideal time to hand over. Fresh ideas and change is great,” Rodgers told New Zealand Trucking.

Kalasih‘s role in the industry is HSSE Special Projects for Z Energy Ltd and he brings considerable knowledge, particularly in the areas of health and safety and regulatory compliance.

Dom said, “It‘s a real honour to lead IRTENZ, particularly at a time when the engineering developments occurring across a huge range of fronts are at an all-time high. Members are eagerly anticipating IRTENZ‘s biennial conference later this year. I‘ve no doubt that given all this technological progress, the opportunity to exchange ideas and have quality face-to-face discussions with international and local experts will be invaluable to the heavy vehicle sector.”

Kalasih studied mechanical engineering at Canterbury prior to managing his family‘s light mechanical engineering business. He has more than two decades of experience in road transport safety, including roles as senior engineer at LTSA (now NZTA), senior adviser – heavy vehicle safety at the Ministry of Transport, and logistics manager at Z.

Kalaish’s hobbies include motor racing and sailing. He successfully built and raced Formula First single-seaters for a long period, and his achievements include winning the national championship. Nowadays his motor racing involvement has reduced to engine building and race car preparation and he spends more time maintaining his trailer sailer yacht.

In his spare time Kalasih undertakes a voluntary role for MotorSport NZ as head of circuit safety department and he is a motorsport vehicle scrutineer.

Kalasih has been honoured by the NZ Heavy Haulage Association, he is a life member of the NZ Formula Vee Association and he is treasurer of the International Forum for Road Transport Technology (IFRTT).