Appointments to the Chartered Professional Engineers Council
Associate Minister of Commerce Judith Tizard announced today the appointment of the eight inaugural members of the
Chartered Professional Engineers Council.
“The Chartered Professional Engineers Act 2002 allowed for a quality mark for professional engineers and established a
Council to review and approve engineering standards, hear appeals from engineers, and review and report to the Minister
on the performance of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand, the Registration Body,” said Judith
Tizard.
“Council members are representative of as many sectors of engineering as is possible, and the Council has a Consumer
Representative to represent consumer interests. I congratulate each of them on their appointments and look forward to
engaging with them in their work.”
The inaugural members are:
Mr Stephen Reindler, Chairperson, appointed for five years. Mr Reindler is a mechanical engineer. For five years he has
worked as the General Manager Engineering for the publicly listed company Auckland International Airport. Prior to this
he was the General Manager Engineering and Environment for BHP-NZ Steel. In these positions he has overseen all the
major branches of engineering in both manufacturing and large scale infrastructure. Mr Reindler is a member of the
Engineers Registration Board, which has been acting as the Council until these appointments were made, and is a Fellow
of IPENZ.
Mr Peter Smith, Deputy Chairperson, appointed for four years. Mr Smith is the Managing Director of Spencer Holmes; a
company he has been a Director of since 1975. Trained as a civil engineer, Mr Smith has practiced in the fields of civil
and structural engineering for 30 years, developing specialist knowledge in the fields of timber engineering,
strengthening of earthquake risk buildings, water retaining structures and retail facilities in the petrochemical
industry. Mr Smith has considerable knowledge of the building compliance system having actively participated in the
professional review and application of the system.
Mr Warwick Bishop, member, appointed for three years. Mr Bishop is a retired, highly experienced senior manager who
originally trained as an electrical engineer. He has worked in both industry and consultancy. For three and a half years
he was the Chief Executive of IPENZ. In this role he became familiar with disciplinary processes as he dealt with
complaints made by members of the public about professional engineers. Mr Bishop has 12 years experience as a Chief
Executive/General Manager of such diverse organisations as the Works & Development Services Corporation and the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. He is currently a director and consultant
who also runs a small boutique hotel and mail order business with his wife.
Mr Kemp Broughton, member, appointed for two years. Mr Broughton, of Ngarauru and Ngati Ruanui descent, is a civil
engineer with strong local government links. For 13 years he worked for the Ministry of Works and Development
progressing to senior management. In 1979 he became the County Engineer for the Stratford District Council and from 1989
– July 2001 served as Chief Executive Officer of the Council. Like Mr Reindler, he is a member of the Engineers
Registration Board, the acting Council. Today he is a part-time consultant and dairy and bloodstock farmer.
Mr Andrew Hazelton, Lawyer, Member, appointed for five years. Mr Hazelton is a partner in the niche law practice of
Hazelton LAW that specialises in construction, insurance and environmental law. As part of his masters degree he studied
technical issues relating to construction and engineering. For six years he practised as a solicitor in the UK where he
developed a specialisation in construction law which he has continued to practice in New Zealand. Mr Hazelton also has
experience in professional negligence claims in respect of solicitors, accountants, engineers and architects. For his
first five years in New Zealand he was a senior associate at a national law firm. He has also prosecuted and defended
criminal claims under environmental legislation.
Mrs Vivian Kloosterman, member, appointed for five years. Mrs Kloosterman is an environmental engineer with 21 years
professional engineering experience. For 11 years Mrs Kloosterman has been the Managing Director of VK Consulting
Environmental Engineers Ltd; an environmental and planning consultancy employing 15 staff. She has worked on major
infrastructure projects and her areas of specialisation include water, stormwater and wastewater collection and
treatment systems. Her work involves feasibility investigations, strategic planning, obtaining resource consents,
community consultation, design and implementation. She is a Member of IPENZ and has taken part in IPENZ accreditation of
engineering degrees.
Mr Steven Gentry, member, appointed for three years. Mr Gentry is a company director and retired consulting engineer. He
comes from a civil/stuctural engineering background and spent the major part of his career in the food engineering
field, both in New Zealand and in developing countries. In the mid 1980's he moved into engineering management and
subsequently completed a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) whilst chairman of Morrison Cooper (subsequently Kingston Morrison
Ltd). He is a former president of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, and served as chair of the
Association of Consulting Engineers for two years and on the IPENZ of New Zealand Council for three years, being elected
a Distinguished Fellow in 2000.
Ms Helen Walch, Consumer Representative, member appointed for three years. Ms Walch is the Consumer Employment
Co-ordinator. She is the consumer representative for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on the Review of the Insurance and
Savings Ombudsmen’s scheme and is the community member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal. Ms Walch has 18 years of
community based work experience including being Director of the Downtown Community Ministry. For four years she was
self-employed health mediator and advocate. Earlier employment included eight years as a parish minister, two years as a
residential social worker and six years as a primary school teacher.