Steve Shaughnessy becomes president of IPAF

Steve Shaughnessy, president of Canadian manufacturer Skyjack Inc, was elected president of IPAF (the International Powered Access Federation) at its Annual General Meeting on 25 March 2010.

Mr Shaughnessy succeeds John Ball of Height for Hire Ireland and brings with him more than 25 years' experience in the access business. He will serve a two-year term and advance the objectives of the Federation to promote the safe and effective use of powered access around the world. He is the first US citizen to become president of IPAF.

Mr Shaughnessy grew up in the access industry, working in the family business: Shaughnessy Crane Service in the US, and later running its access rental division after returning from his studies in Ireland and Nottingham and a period of employment with British Telecom.

He was later regional vice president and chief operating officer of Chicago-based NES Rentals and in October 2004, he joined UK-based A-Plant as director of its access business.

He was managing director of rental company Loxam in the UK, before taking his first step into the manufacturing side of the business by joining Skyjack..

Following his election, Mr Shaughnessy told the IPAF AGM,"I will carry on with the project of ensuring that North American access rental and training companies are familiar with the benefits of IPAF's powered access training programmes. It is essential that operators in the largest access market in the world receive the opportunity to be trained to work at height safely and efficiently.

"IPAF will support the creation and expansion of national members' councils to give a better voice to those members regarding the provision of services by the Federation and IPAF will also develop a process for enabling operators of access equipment in countries not currently supported by the Federation to benefit from its training programmes."

IPAF's president Tim Whiteman said, "Steve's unique experience from both sides of the Atlantic make him ideal as IPAF president. His background in access rentals and manufacturing, spanning across the US and the UK, will be very useful as IPAF grows its activities around the globe."