AIRSO Chairmen Past & Present

Introduction

Historically, AIRSO had a President who was active in the role of leading AIRSO in terms of acting as the Chairman. This was Ray Gahan who opted for this role when AIRSO was formed in 1965. He proposed the introduction of a separate role of President and Chairman in 1988, and accordingly our first Chairman was Bill Smith. In 1994 AIRSO amended its constitution to the effect that the Chairman would only serve for one year. That year the role of Vice Chairman was introduced and constitutionally set that the Vice Chairman would be the immediate past Chairman.

2008 Chairman - Andrew Howard MBE

At the 2008 AGM, which appropriately enough took place in Basingstoke, Andrew Howard MBE, Head of Road Safety at The Automobile Association, was appointed Chairman of AIRSO for this year. Andrew is only the second person to have held this office on two occasions. He joined AIRSO in 1981, was Secretary from 1987-1990 and Chairman in 1995. Andrew is one of only nine AIRSO Members who have been made Honorary Life Members for their outstanding contribution to the life and work of AIRSO.

Andrew is in his 35th year with The AA, 27 of which have been spent as Head of Road Safety. He is a member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport, and holds the University of London Diploma and Certificate in Transport Studies. Andrew has been a member of the Government's Road Safety Advisory Panel and its child safety sub-group; a member of the RoSPA National Road Safety Committee; a member of all the PACTS road safety working groups; he has been involved with sub-groups of the Government's School Travel Advisory Group and the Motorist's Forum; last but not least he has been a member of the National Motorcycle Council and the Home Office's Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team.

2007 Chair - Lyn Morris

Lyn Morris is a Road Safety Officer with Carmarthenshire County Council and was the first AIRSO Chairman to live and work in Wales. Prior to her move to Wales she worked in road safety for Harlow Council and for an engineering consultancy as a project manager for Education Training and Publicity.

Inaugural Chairman - William Smith OBE

William (Bill) Smith was the Chief Driving Examiner for the Department of Transport (which pre-dated the setting up of the Driving Standards Agency). Made a Freeman of the City of London in 1982 and awarded the OBE for his services to Road Safety in 1983, Bill Smith was the first Chairman of AIRSO serving the Association in this capacity between 1988 and 1990.

2006 Chairman - Mike Ambrose

Michael (Mike) Ambrose was the former Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Registrar with the Driving Standards Agency In 2002 he left DSA, re-qualified as an ADI and became an independent Road Safety Consultant. As a consultant he has worked for BSM, Granada TV and The States Traffic Department in Guernsey.

2005 Chairman - Edward Handley

Edward Handley was, when AIRSO Chairman, the Managing Director of Big Wheelers Ltd but is now the Road Risk Consultant for the Transport Research Laboratory. He also holds the AIRSO Portfolio for Large Goods Vehicles. Edward is currently the longest serving Member of the Council of Management and, prior to this year, the only person to have served the Association as Chairman on two occasions - 1994 & 2005.

2004 Chairman - Malcolm J Burns

Malcolm Burns is County Road Safety Manager for Wiltshire County Council. He is the current Chairman of LARSOA (Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association) and ANDISP (Association of National Driver Improvement Scheme Providers). He also is Treasurer of the Institute of Road Safety Officers.

2003 Chairman - Robert Smalley

Robert (Bob) Smalley is currently the Chief Driving Examiner of RoSPA's Advanced Driver and Rider Association (ROADAR). Before this appointment he was Chief Superintendent in charge of Motorway and Traffic Policing for the West Midlands Constabulary. He has been a member of the European Advanced Project establishing the provision of guidance on novice and post-test driver and rider training throughout Europe and was a founder member of the Fleet Driver Training Association (now the Fleet Safety Association). In 1993 he was awarded the Fleet News Special Award for his contribution to fleet safety.

2002 Chairman - Peter Rodger

Peter Rodger is currently the Chief Examiner of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. Previously he was Head of Driver Training at the Metropolitan Police Service, Hendon. He has extensive experience in police driver training, having been responsible for training in cars, on motorcycles, and in LGV and PCV's, as well as for the more technical training given to police officers in collision investigation, traffic law etc. Peter was involved in the development of the police national standards for driver training policy in the difficult area of pursuits at both a local and national level.

2001 Chairman - Mike Lovelock

Mike Lovelock is now in semi-retirement in Herefordshire having served thirty-two years with the Metropolitan Police, the last four years of which, he was the Commandant of the Driving School at Hendon. He now works part time as a staff examiner for the Institute of Advanced Motorists. Mike is a commissioned officer with the Middlesex and North West London Army Cadet Force. He currently holds the rank of Major and is an Area Commander having responsibility for seven Cadet Detachments. He is authorised by the Army to carry out the mandatory annual driving tests, of those individuals within the cadet force who are required to drive military vehicles, which range from mini-buses to large trucks.

2000 Chairman - Susan Cooper

Sue Cooper is Senior Highways Officer for Lincolnshire County Council, having previously worked as a Road Safety Officer in the same authority. She has a history of community involvement with a number of organisations and charities and notably has served as a divisional commissioner for the Guide Association. Sue is currently Chair of the Association's Road Safety Group.

Previous AIRSO Chairmen