Posted: 16 November 2006
Six appointed to $12 million NRC Trust
A magazine editor/food and wine consultant, a farmer, company directors, a business consultant and an accountant are among the newest appointees to the $12 million Northland Regional Council Community Trust.
Regional Council members at their monthly meeting in Whangarei yesterday (Weds 15 November) confirmed six appointments to the eight-member trust.
They are:
- Magazine editor and food and wine consultant Lyn Barnes of Kerikeri
- Accountant Andy Britton of Whangarei
- Whangarei-based business consultant Irene Durham
- Company director Rawson Wright of Whangarei
- Bill Shepherd, a Whangarei-based farmer and businessman (existing trustee)
- Mike Simm, a company director/business consultant of Kerikeri (existing trustee)
The six will be appointed for terms of up to three years – effective from Friday 1 December - and will join current trustees Richard Drake and Jane Hindle.
The trust was formed in 1996 with the multimillion-dollar proceeds of the sale of some of the Regional Council’s majority shareholding in the Northland Port Corporation. The trust has two subsidiaries, regional tourism body Destination Northland Ltd (set up in 1997) and the Enterprise Northland Trust, which was established in 2002 and supports economic development and sustainable business.
Regional Council Chairman Mark Farnsworth says the latest appointments are necessary because the terms of six of the trust’s current eight members expired recently.
The six appointees were recommended from more than 40 applicants by a five-strong panel that included the Mayors of the Whangarei, Far North and Kaipara Districts.
Mr Farnsworth says the selection panel was impressed with both the quality – and number – of applicants.
“It’s pleasing to see so many high-calibre candidates put their names forward and the fact so many able people are prepared to take an interest is also a tribute to the excellent work done by the trust to date.”
Mr Farnsworth says the selection panel had looked for a mixture of attributes including proven business management experience and familiarity in Trust operations or regional business development.
Applicants were also assessed on their experience and expertise in strategic planning and financial management, their networking skills and business connections and their knowledge of Maori culture and issues relating to business development.
Trustees will meet every two months and are paid an annual $11,000 honorarium.