NatRoad is mourning the loss of one of its founding fathers in Sam Sali after he passed way last weekend
The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has announced that foundation member and director Sam Sali has passed away at the age of 86.
Sali died in a Bendigo hospital this past Sunday surrounded by family just eight days short of his 87th birthday.
Sali was a foundation member and director of the National Transport Federation, which later became NatRoad after its merger with the Long Distance Road Transport Association.
Serving as NatRoad’s director until 2001, his service as director was recognised by NatRoad and the broader industrywith national awards the following year.
NatRoad says Sali was a driving force behind the restructuring of the Long Distance Drivers Award and the introduction of enterprise bargaining to the industry.
“Sam Sali was a giant of road transport and a passionate champion for our industry,” NatRoad chairman Paul Fellows says.
“His passing is a significant loss to us all and our thoughts go to his family and extensive network of friends.”
The son of Albanian immigrants who moved to Shepparton in 1937, Sali completed a motor mechanic apprenticeship before forming trucking company S Sali & Sons in 1956 with his late older brother Alan.
Sali spent many years driving trucks before moving to the management side of the business in the ‘70s and eventually becoming involved in industry advocacy.
Sam, Alan and their other brother Haset are all inductees to the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs.
Sali is also a recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Award for his contribution to his local community and is a life member of the Shepparton Albanian Society.
NatRoad says S Sali & Sons remains in business to this day and prides itself on never accepting clients who demand unreasonable delivery times.