President: Michael Brown
Biomedical Services Technician, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury
Born in Christchurch but raised in Blenheim, I call Christchurch home. It’s here that I live with my wife Glenys and our children.
I originally started my career as an electronics technician for a Wellington company, manufacturing foreign object detection equipment for the food and textiles industry. Having attained the position of Senior Service Engineer, I left that company to spend three years driving tour coaches all over Europe and the UK.
When I had enough of living out of a backpack, I returned to Christchurch. After a few years of specialising in industrial XRay, metal detection and weighing systems, I started working for the CDHB. As a Biomedical Services Technician, my specific areas of responsibility include the Emergency Department, Resuscitation Equipment, and acute services. I am passionate about my job function and love the fact that I am able to use my skills and enthusiasm to work alongside other medical professionals to improve patient care. It excites me that, having worked for more than 15 years in this field, I am still constantly learning new things, and working on new equipment.
Outside of work, I enjoy bird-keeping and spending time exploring the outdoors.
I am excited about what the future holds; Christchurch, after the earthquakes, is turning into a fantastic city. With a rapidly developing health service, Te Whatu Ora is an exciting and interesting place to work.
Vice President: James Henderson
Director at New Zealand Validation Services ltd
My name is James Henderson, founder and director of New Zealand Validation Services. While I started my career as an electrician working in DHB’s, I quickly progressed into other specialised areas, working in surgical hospitals and other companies throughout New Zealand.
I am a qualified CSSD Technician, a Registered Electrician and an expert in sterilisation validation, with over 12 years of experience working in the medical industry. Before setting up NZ Validation Services, I held an executive role as a Property and Services Manager at a leading Private Surgical Hospital.
With a true passion for sterilisation and infection control, I set up New Zealand Validation Services, offering tailored solutions to clients across NZ and the Pacific.
My holistic approach, technical expertise and solution-driven philosophy make me stand out from the rest.
Out of work, I love spending time with my family and working away on projects on our small block. I enjoy mountain biking, whenever I get a chance.
Past President: Gavin Carey-Smith
Facilities Manager, Hawkes Bay Hospital
Gavin started out in the industrial electrical trade and remains a registered electrician. During his early years of work he also completed New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (NZCE) through night courses at the local polytechnic. Gavin first gained electrical engineering experience by working in Taranaki’s Oil and Dairy Industries. In 1997 he decided to complete a degree in Engineering and Automation at Massey University.
At the end of 1999, Gavin obtained a job as Process Improvement Engineer with Carter Halt Harvey Plastics in Hastings. During this time he was responsible for many capital improvements and had a lead role in improving factory production.
In 2003 Gavin took a job at Hawkes Bay Hospital as a Projects and Energy Engineer. At the DHB Gavin progressed to a managerial role as Capital Projects Manager and now holds the position of Facilities Manager.
Gavin is a Registered Professional Project Manager with Project Management Institute (PMI) and a Professional Engineer with the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ)
Gavin and his wife have three children and live in Havelock North, Hawkes Bay. Gavin is passionate about supporting others on a volunteer basis, both locally and abroad.
Treasurer: Zane Lee
Zane started out studying NZCE Electrical while working as a Biomed in Auckland. He then moved on to do the obligatory OE and continued to be a Biomed in London for 3 years. Upon his return to Whangarei, where he was born and bred, he worked at the NZ Refining Company fixing all things electrical/electronic.
After spending 3 years doing this, it was time to start a Biomed company of his own. This he grew to include over 18 Staff who fixed medical equipment and ran a team of electricians. Zane spent the next 14 years repairing, installing and compliance testing medical equipment from Cape Reinga to Auckland. During this time he married Juliet and had two wonderful boys Josh and Morgan. The next stage of his life would lead him to Christchurch where he has been with his family since the end of 2018.
Membership: Karsten Maertzschink
Service Manager, Clinical Engineering, ADHB.
I would describe myself and my leadership style as authentic, a talent advocate, and being actively involved in the day-to-day business. As an authentic leader, I believe I am recognised as someone who is sincere, genuine, and most importantly, has a passion and interest in leadership. As a talent advocate, I am constantly assessing individuals’ capabilities, how to attract the right people, and how to develop them, but most importantly, how to help those I lead succeed in their chosen careers. To be actively involved in the business, I’m constantly seeking knowledge about running a sustainable business that looks after our customer’s needs. So leadership, to me, is an ongoing learning journey.
Executive Member: Rachel Nesbit
Estimating Manager – Facilities and Asset Services | Downer NZ Ltd
I have spent my career in the construction industry, spending 15 years on a wide range of residential and commercial projects as a Quantity Surveyor.
In 2018, whilst working on a construction project at MDHB, I had the opportunity to dive into the facilities management world. I took on the role of Regional Facilities Manager for the Central Alliance at MDHB with Spotless Facility Services.
During this role, I was lucky enough to be mentored by Warren Crawley and exposed to the business end of facilities management. In this role, I was able to see the lifecycle of a building and appreciate the challenges that come with the long-term maintenance of key facilities.
I am currently the Estimating Manager at Downer NZ Ltd, where I oversee the pricing of all Hard and Soft FM contracts.
Outside of work, I love to spend time with my kids or working in my family business.
Executive Member: Richard Whitehead
Electrical Services Manager, Capital & Coast DHB (Retired).
I started work as an industrial electrician apprentice at British Ropes/Bridon Wire in the UK.
After almost 14 years I took a role as an electrical and electronics instructor for a couple of years before meeting my future Kiwi wife Belinda and moving to New Zealand where I took on an electrical supervisory and engineering role for Unilever at their food processing facility in Hastings.
I was recruited by the then Wellington Area Hospital Board in early 1990 and remained there until retirement from Capital & Coast DHB in early 2020.
During my almost 30 years there I have been involved with virtually every aspect of building and facilities electrical and control infrastructure including autoclaves, PABX’s, data and fibre installs, Building Management Systems, medical gas systems and alarms, 11kV electrical systems and generators and lots more.
I have previously served on the NZIHE and its predecessor the NZIHEEM’s committees and am honoured to have been invited to join again.
Secretary: Kevin Miller
Associate – Built Environment and Electrical Engineer, Aurecon.
I believe the most important aspect of any design is the human one. Whether it be building occupiers, works managers, maintenance staff or fellow design team members, I believe our primary focus should be on improving the lives of those around us. This includes how we work together to deliver projects through to the impact the finished product has on those who interact with it.
The projects I enjoy most are those that are unique or complex. The challenge is in taking a complex problem and working with the Client to devise a solution which is simple, easy to use and maintain and provides a good environment to enhance the productivity of the end-users.
I have particular experience and expertise in the design of healthcare facilities. These projects combine the complexity of high integrity power systems with the need to create a good environment for staff and patients requiring a high degree of user interaction. I also have experience in many other specialist facilities such as trading banks, airports, broadcast centres, industrial workshops, data centres etc.
Executive Member: Tony Hampton
Operations Manager Facilities and Infrastructure | CDHB
Tony Hampton started out within injection moulding completing a modern apprenticeship in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the introduction to maintaining industrial production equipment equipped Tony with pragmatic real-life engineering skills and continued to develop these skills specialising in robotics programming. Tony continued his studies specifically in electronic engineering, obtaining a diploma and later in robotics programming. Tony was a registered UK electrician (20 years ago) however he no longer trusts himself to wire a plug socket.
Tony is an enthusiastic medical representative who has a successful management and sales track record in Healthcare, Laboratories and Hospitality. Tony is currently working as the Facilities and Infrastructure Operations Manager of CDHB proactively managing a cluster of service sectors, overseeing major healthcare projects, promoting innovative medical technologies and leading multiple teams within various clinical services in order to achieve patient safety and MoH monthly targets.
Originally from the UK Tony has resided in New Zealand for 14 years, the last three being in Canterbury with his wife and their three children.
Tony has a passion for life and innovation, including the use of ethical AI in Healthcare.