Chair Mark Parry

Mark Parry is the Managing Director of Ron Finemore Transport, a company dedicated to best practice driver and fleet safety.

Mark is a very successful and experienced senior executive with experience across manufacturing, mining, mining services, contracting, and transport and logistics.

He is a strong and proven communicator, including in roles that required him to be the face of business to government ministers and officials, regulatory bodies and a diverse range of stakeholders.

Mark has a commerce degree from the University of Wollongong and has completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

In addition to chairing the ATA, Mark is the Deputy Chair of Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds.

Immediate Past Chair David Smith

David Smith is managing director of D&S Smith Haulage and has worked in the transport industry for more than 40 years as a driver, business owner and industry leader through his involvement in associations and committees.

David was Chair of the ATA from 2020 to 2024. He is passionate about encouraging young people in the transport industry and strives to ensure the sustainability of the industry long term.

Secretary/treasurer Andrew Garrety

Andrew Garrety is director of Chess Moving Canberra, a former chair of the Australian Furniture Removers Association and is the ATA’s Treasurer and Secretary.

Andrew has been a member of the ATA board since 2012 and has a passion for advancing the interests of both furniture removalists and trucking operators generally, as well as advancing industry safety and productivity.

David Simon

David Simon is executive chairman of Simon National Carriers and has a deep understanding of the industry both as an operator and at an association level. David has many years of experience on the ATA board of management and general council and held the position of Chair from 2010 – 2014. 

David is passionate about fixing heavy vehicle regulation, truck charges and fatigue management.

Sharon Middleton AM

Director of Whiteline Transport, Sharon Middleton is President of the South Australian Transport Association, an ATA board member, a former director of Transport Women Australia, and was inducted into the Transport Hall of Fame in 2014.

Sharon was named the National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year in 2013 and was awarded the South Australian Road Transport Association’s Outstanding Contribution Award in 2011.

Sharon was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List for her service to the road transport industry. 

Andy Divall

Andy Divall is the owner and Managing Director of Divall’s Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage, a company he established in 1991 with his brother Michael.

Andy has diversified the Goulburn-based company’s operations to meet the needs of the local community and strives to retain local staff by offering wide-ranging and professional opportunities.

In 2018, Andy was named a Kenworth Legend for his leadership and demonstration of strength, perseverance and success in the Australian trucking industry.

Committed to safety, Andy has been an advocate for the ATA’s TruckSafe accreditation system, joining in 1999. In 2011, Divall’s won the TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award for fostering a strong culture of safety in every part of their business.

Simon Skazlic

Simon Skazlic is the Executive General Manager, HS&E/Compliance at K&S Freighters, first joining the company in 1990.

Simon has made major contributions to improving the safety of truck drivers and other personnel as a member of an Industry committee known as the LUEZ (loading, unloading exclusion zone) Committee which developed best practice guidelines for the safety of truck drivers and other personnel around mobile plant during the process of loading and unloading vehicles.

Additonally, Simon was also a member of a separate Industry committee which developed Industry guidelines to assist employers, drivers and mechanical service providers to implement effective controls during the repair of a broken-down truck by the roadside. The guidelines are referred to as TEBARS (Truck Emergency Breakdown and Roadside Safety).

Simon has been a key contributor to the ATA Council since 2003 and was the 2013 winner of the ATA’s Don Watson Memorial Award for his conspicuous service to the trucking industry.

Julie Russell OAM

Julie Russell is a director and third generation family member actively working in Russell Transport. With 15 years’ experience in the family’s road transport business. She extended her knowledge base through university and gained valuable insight into external markets outside the family business for several years before returning in 2007 to oversee the running of the risk, compliance, human resources and back office support functions of the growing family business. 

Over the years, Julie has actively worked on numerous committees and boards within the road transport industry to provide a medium sized family business perspective to policy proposals, training standards, industry awareness programs and similar initiatives that arise in the ever-changing landscape of the industry.

Julie was named Queensland Trucking Association Woman of the Year in 2014 and National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year in 2015. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2023.

James Dixon

James Dixon is the Divisional General Manager, South, with Australia Post.

As an accomplished senior executive, James has deep expertise across the value chain of fast-moving, service focused industries that are crucially dependent on high performing road supply chains.

Throughout his career, James has been a key contributor to executive teams in ASX, privately held and commercial government businesses.

James was previously a director of the Australian Logistics Council. He holds an MBA from Southern Cross University and an MSc in Logistics from the University of Denver, as well as attending the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Ann Lopez

Ann Lopez is the co-owner and business manager of Lopez Bros Transport, which transports containers across the Sydney metropolitan area and regional NSW. Founded in 1929, the business operates more than 20 trucks and employs more than 30 people.

Ann’s role encompasses staff training, compliance, WH&S, business reporting and planning. She is a strong advocate of encouraging new talent into the industry, as well as leading by example in her business.

In 2016, Ann was the inaugural winner of the Road Freight NSW Transport Woman of the Year Award. She is now a member of the Road Freight NSW board.