Association’s CEO calls time
Tony Johnson is stepping down after serving 21 years as chief executive officer of the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA).
He is passing the torch to Ken McAdam, who is the association’s operations manager.
McAdam, pictured above right with Johnson, will become only the fourth CEO in the LVVTA’s 31-year history after first joining the incorporated society in 2015 as its training officer. He stepped into his current role about three years ago.
His involvement with the organisation goes back even further, having represented the NZ Four Wheel Drive Association on the LVVTA’s council for more than two decades and more recently serving as an elected board member.
As for Johnson, he was 28 years old when the Ministry of Transport was preparing to introduce new vehicle standards regulations in the late 1980s.
On behalf of the New Zealand Hot Rod Association, Johnson presented the concept of a self-governance model as a better alternative to what the government was proposing to implement for modified and individually constructed vehicles.
His ambitious pitch was successful. This led to the establishment of the LVVTA in 1992 to protect the interests of the wider vehicle-modification enthusiast sector.
As an incorporated society, it maintains independence from the government. That said, it does have a close co-regulatory relationship with the NZTA as it did with the transport agency’s predecessors.
“The relationship with the NZTA is very good,” says Johnson. “It’s a great example of an agency-industry collaboration to achieve the best results for the least cost.
“The certification management model the LVVTA has developed over the past three decades has become regarded as a world-best certification system for modified and individually constructed vehicles – for the regulator, and the enthusiast sector and industry.
“The value the association provides in the LVV certification system led the NZTA to approach us three years ago to take over the day-to-day management of the national repair-certification system, applying similar document systems and operational principles.”
While there is a changing of the guard at the top of the association, it doesn’t mean Johnson is leaving the LVVTA. “It’s more that 34 years is a long time on the front line with 21 of them as CEO and there’s other pressing work within the LVVTA to do.”
In some ways, the association has suffered from its own success, down in part to the amount of complex system and document development work – both technical and operational – it does.
Now there’s also RepairCert NZ, the LVVTA’s offshoot to manage the repair system, also operating under Johnson as chief executive officer.
It means the LVVTA’s work has increased exponentially, especially at the start-up phase of the repair system. This area of work is his forte.
Johnson, pictured below in 1988, says: “We’ve learnt the combination of practically based technical knowledge, system architecture understanding and high-level word-smithing ability is a rare skill-set.
“I seem to be that unicorn and I enjoy this work, while there are others who can manage and lead. In many respects Ken McAdam will be a better CEO than me. I’m now able to stand aside to focus on the much-needed system and document development work since he’s agreed to fill the CEO seat.”
McAdam takes over the reins on January 1 and is looking forward to the challenge. “I appreciate the confidence Tony and the board have shown in appointing me CEO of the LVVTA and RepairCert NZ.
“I look forward to leading both into the future with the support of our great staff. Tony has been an excellent CEO and boss. I’m being left with big boots to fill, so it’s a good thing I’m not a little bloke.”
The LVVTA’s board has been supportive of Johnson and McAdams’ transition plan, which both appreciate.
Phil Bradshaw, president of the association, says: “Tony’s contribution to the modified and scratch-built vehicle scene has been immense.
“Without his efforts, I wouldn’t have been able to get my Lotus Seven replica on the road in 1992 or still be driving it regularly today, 31 years and 180,000km later.
“As someone who has a lifetime’s supply of projects waiting in the wings, I have every confidence Ken will continue to drive the LVVTA forward, ensuring we retain the ability to build and modify vehicles that can be used safely on New Zealand’s roads every day.”
