BOARD MEMBERS' BIO
Christine Rankin
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Corporate governance, business skills, ARC representative.
Brief biography:
Christine Rankin is the former Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest government departments in New Zealand, the Department of Work and Income, more commonly known as WINZ. Since leaving WINZ Christine has carved out a new role as a motivational speaker, career change specialist, child abuse prevention advocate and local body politician.Christine runs the human resource consultancy, The Transformational Leadership and Change Company (TLC) with her son Mathew. Christine is also an elected representative of the Auckland Regional Council and has released a best seller Light The Flame.
Favourite Quotes:
"People's potential unleashed equals New Zealand's potential increased."
"I believe passion can change the world."
Corporate governance, business skills, ARC representative.
Brief biography:
Christine Rankin is the former Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest government departments in New Zealand, the Department of Work and Income, more commonly known as WINZ. Since leaving WINZ Christine has carved out a new role as a motivational speaker, career change specialist, child abuse prevention advocate and local body politician.Christine runs the human resource consultancy, The Transformational Leadership and Change Company (TLC) with her son Mathew. Christine is also an elected representative of the Auckland Regional Council and has released a best seller Light The Flame.
Favourite Quotes:
"People's potential unleashed equals New Zealand's potential increased."
"I believe passion can change the world."
David Gray
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Facilitator for public participation in marine environmental education. Winter Sea Around Us Lectures (15 yrs) Friends of MERC. Concern for historical and cultural sensitivities. Beach interest group research relevant to Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve. Planning future development to meet the established need for similar centres. Maintenance of yachts, buildings and equipment at the Centre.
Brief biography:
Born in North India of N.Z. Presbyterian Missionary parents. Grew up in Auckland with holidays at Long Bay (since 1945). Several postgraduate years in Auckland Hospitals followed by 12 yrs of surgery, obstetrics, radiology, teaching, and maintenance of a 400 bed Mission Hospital in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. General Practice in Torbay for 18 yrs. Lifetime interests yachting, including coastal and offshore cruising, circumnavigated N.Z. (1995) in 9.7m sloop Sarinah. This yacht was re-named Spirit of MERC for the 1983 Two Man Round North Island Race. Other interests are the building of small boats and watercolour painting.David's passion for the last 30 years has been to see that the youth of today are given the opportunity to enjoy and protect the sea around them. This passion is what conceived and continues to drive the Sir Peter Blake MERC. In 1998, at the instigation of MERC Trustees, he was awarded the Companion of NZ Order of Merit for services to Youth and Medicine. Married now for 52 years to Marie (nee Magill) nurse, mother of six daughters, author of seven books.
Facilitator for public participation in marine environmental education. Winter Sea Around Us Lectures (15 yrs) Friends of MERC. Concern for historical and cultural sensitivities. Beach interest group research relevant to Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve. Planning future development to meet the established need for similar centres. Maintenance of yachts, buildings and equipment at the Centre.
Brief biography:
Born in North India of N.Z. Presbyterian Missionary parents. Grew up in Auckland with holidays at Long Bay (since 1945). Several postgraduate years in Auckland Hospitals followed by 12 yrs of surgery, obstetrics, radiology, teaching, and maintenance of a 400 bed Mission Hospital in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. General Practice in Torbay for 18 yrs. Lifetime interests yachting, including coastal and offshore cruising, circumnavigated N.Z. (1995) in 9.7m sloop Sarinah. This yacht was re-named Spirit of MERC for the 1983 Two Man Round North Island Race. Other interests are the building of small boats and watercolour painting.David's passion for the last 30 years has been to see that the youth of today are given the opportunity to enjoy and protect the sea around them. This passion is what conceived and continues to drive the Sir Peter Blake MERC. In 1998, at the instigation of MERC Trustees, he was awarded the Companion of NZ Order of Merit for services to Youth and Medicine. Married now for 52 years to Marie (nee Magill) nurse, mother of six daughters, author of seven books.
Ross Garrett
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
13 years as chairman of the Board of MERC
Brief biography:
1954-55 physicist, Wellington Hospital. 1956-1961 employed as a physicist at the Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York City, working on radiation treatment of cancer. 1962-1993 Physics Dept., University of Auckland studying polarization effects in few body nuclear reactions. 1970-71 Physics Dept., University of Basel, Switzerland working with new polarized ion source. 1977-78 Crocker Nuclear Physics Laboratory, University of California, Davis. 1984-85 Kernforschungszentrum, Karlsruhe, Germany. 1994-98 set up company called Garrett Wolff Associates to develop a neutron activation method for determining total body element composition.2001 to present, part time lecturer at Massey University, Albany, teaching Physics of Sailing. Over a period of about 20 years beginning in the early 70s I gave courses on the physics of sailing at Auckland University's Centre for Continuing Education. Publications: 40 scientific papers on nuclear physics and medical physics in refereed journals. One book The Symmetry of Sailing, 1987, published in U.K., U.S.A. and Italy. Several articles in sailing magazines. MERC newsletter twice per year for the past 23 years.
Sports: Cruising and competitive sailing, recreational skiing.
13 years as chairman of the Board of MERC
Brief biography:
1954-55 physicist, Wellington Hospital. 1956-1961 employed as a physicist at the Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York City, working on radiation treatment of cancer. 1962-1993 Physics Dept., University of Auckland studying polarization effects in few body nuclear reactions. 1970-71 Physics Dept., University of Basel, Switzerland working with new polarized ion source. 1977-78 Crocker Nuclear Physics Laboratory, University of California, Davis. 1984-85 Kernforschungszentrum, Karlsruhe, Germany. 1994-98 set up company called Garrett Wolff Associates to develop a neutron activation method for determining total body element composition.2001 to present, part time lecturer at Massey University, Albany, teaching Physics of Sailing. Over a period of about 20 years beginning in the early 70s I gave courses on the physics of sailing at Auckland University's Centre for Continuing Education. Publications: 40 scientific papers on nuclear physics and medical physics in refereed journals. One book The Symmetry of Sailing, 1987, published in U.K., U.S.A. and Italy. Several articles in sailing magazines. MERC newsletter twice per year for the past 23 years.
Sports: Cruising and competitive sailing, recreational skiing.
Maurice W. Gray
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Maurice has lived in the East Coast Bays for some 50 years, has a strong community spirit and a love of the water. He has built 3 centre board yachts and 2 houses, and established a small Contracting Construction Company and Consulting Civil Engineering practice.
Brief biography:
Calm practical approach to problem solving, experience with Civil Engineering and building construction and maintenance, some experience in financial analysis.
Maurice has lived in the East Coast Bays for some 50 years, has a strong community spirit and a love of the water. He has built 3 centre board yachts and 2 houses, and established a small Contracting Construction Company and Consulting Civil Engineering practice.
Brief biography:
Calm practical approach to problem solving, experience with Civil Engineering and building construction and maintenance, some experience in financial analysis.
Professor Mark Orams
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Governance of charitable trusts. Strategic thinking and planning. Marine science and resource management. Marine recreation, education and interpretation.
Brief biography:
Professor Mark Orams is a respected researcher with interests in marine science, coastal and marine tourism, sport management and sustainable development. He is based at the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute and the School of Hospitality and Tourism at AUT University. Mark holds a Bachelor's degree in environmental planning, a Master of Science and completed his PhD in 1995 at the School of Marine Science at the University of Queensland. His doctoral research focussed on marine mammal tourism. He has published three books, including the first published text on marine tourism, and over 30 scientific papers on the subject.Mark also has a competitive sporting background as an accomplished yachtsman. He has held twelve New Zealand titles in different yachting classes and was the Laser Radial Masters World Champion in 1999, 2005 and in 2008.In 1990 he received the New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year award as part of the crew of Steinlager 2, the winner of the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. He was a member of Team New Zealand, the successful defender of the America's Cup in 2000 and was also involved in the defence of the Cup in 2003. Mark is particularly passionate about education and marine conservation and the important contribution it makes to a better world. He is a proud Kiwi, born in Taranaki. He is married to wife Renee and they have two children, Daniel and Brianna and the family live at Waiake Beach on Auckland's North Shore.
Governance of charitable trusts. Strategic thinking and planning. Marine science and resource management. Marine recreation, education and interpretation.
Brief biography:
Professor Mark Orams is a respected researcher with interests in marine science, coastal and marine tourism, sport management and sustainable development. He is based at the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute and the School of Hospitality and Tourism at AUT University. Mark holds a Bachelor's degree in environmental planning, a Master of Science and completed his PhD in 1995 at the School of Marine Science at the University of Queensland. His doctoral research focussed on marine mammal tourism. He has published three books, including the first published text on marine tourism, and over 30 scientific papers on the subject.Mark also has a competitive sporting background as an accomplished yachtsman. He has held twelve New Zealand titles in different yachting classes and was the Laser Radial Masters World Champion in 1999, 2005 and in 2008.In 1990 he received the New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year award as part of the crew of Steinlager 2, the winner of the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. He was a member of Team New Zealand, the successful defender of the America's Cup in 2000 and was also involved in the defence of the Cup in 2003. Mark is particularly passionate about education and marine conservation and the important contribution it makes to a better world. He is a proud Kiwi, born in Taranaki. He is married to wife Renee and they have two children, Daniel and Brianna and the family live at Waiake Beach on Auckland's North Shore.
Naomi Cowan
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Governance and Management of Charitable Trusts, Human Resources experience' Strategic thinking and planning
Brief biography:
Naomi has spent her working life in the not-for-profit sector, particular in running programmes for at-risk youth and fostering. Along with her husband John, she has been presenting Parenting and Relationship seminars with Parents Inc all over New Zealand since 1996. Naomi and John have three teenagers and live in Torbay on Auckland's North Shore
Governance and Management of Charitable Trusts, Human Resources experience' Strategic thinking and planning
Brief biography:
Naomi has spent her working life in the not-for-profit sector, particular in running programmes for at-risk youth and fostering. Along with her husband John, she has been presenting Parenting and Relationship seminars with Parents Inc all over New Zealand since 1996. Naomi and John have three teenagers and live in Torbay on Auckland's North Shore
Alick Wilson
Skills and experience relevant to Board: -
Brief biography:
First joined MERC's Management Committee in 1981 being nominated by E.C.Bays Jaycees. At this time MERC needed manpower for fund raising activities and Jaycees took on this role as a category B project and I was the link. When the Management Committee was dissolved in 1991 I became a Trustee. I've been mostly involved in several fund-raising projects over the period---some disastrous and some have produced dividends---most were good fun also,especially in the early days.I was born in the UK and emigrated to NZ in 1972 and in 1973 married to Jackie who is Duty nurse Manager at North Shore Hospital.Two Children--both overseas. I've been seafaring for the past 48years and although I am a Goldcard holder I am continuing my seafaring.Mostly working on freighters and in the Offshore exploration industry.Currently I work on contracts Captaining Seismic Research vessels or doing ship deliveries.--A sailor of Fortune! Interests:Golf,fishing and most activities outdoors--if its fun, then I am starter.
Brief biography:
First joined MERC's Management Committee in 1981 being nominated by E.C.Bays Jaycees. At this time MERC needed manpower for fund raising activities and Jaycees took on this role as a category B project and I was the link. When the Management Committee was dissolved in 1991 I became a Trustee. I've been mostly involved in several fund-raising projects over the period---some disastrous and some have produced dividends---most were good fun also,especially in the early days.I was born in the UK and emigrated to NZ in 1972 and in 1973 married to Jackie who is Duty nurse Manager at North Shore Hospital.Two Children--both overseas. I've been seafaring for the past 48years and although I am a Goldcard holder I am continuing my seafaring.Mostly working on freighters and in the Offshore exploration industry.Currently I work on contracts Captaining Seismic Research vessels or doing ship deliveries.--A sailor of Fortune! Interests:Golf,fishing and most activities outdoors--if its fun, then I am starter.
Bruce Nancekvill
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Belonged to the Browns Bay boating club raced trailer sailors, competed in the Mission Bay windsurfing competitions on a Mistral Imco for a number of years and then cruised a Farr 1104 with the Weiti Boating Club including 3 Coastal Classic races Has a sea kayak and regularly kayaks with friends including an around Great Barrier paddle and a Whitianga to Coromandel paddle.
Brief biography:
Founding Director, Nancekivell Williams Ltd Albany. As a Director of the Company, Bruce has been responsible for numerous structures ranging from a 7 storey office block in Khyber Pass, Auckland to a Gas Turbine Power Station for Kiwi Dairy and Skybridges for Ansett NZ Terminals. A large number of tilt slab buildings were designed for commercial and industrial clients in the early 90s.Tramping – We generally get out for one long tramp per year and enjoy shorter tramps as well. Cycling – I have recently taken up Road Cycling and have competed in 3 Round Taupo races and are now training for another
Belonged to the Browns Bay boating club raced trailer sailors, competed in the Mission Bay windsurfing competitions on a Mistral Imco for a number of years and then cruised a Farr 1104 with the Weiti Boating Club including 3 Coastal Classic races Has a sea kayak and regularly kayaks with friends including an around Great Barrier paddle and a Whitianga to Coromandel paddle.
Brief biography:
Founding Director, Nancekivell Williams Ltd Albany. As a Director of the Company, Bruce has been responsible for numerous structures ranging from a 7 storey office block in Khyber Pass, Auckland to a Gas Turbine Power Station for Kiwi Dairy and Skybridges for Ansett NZ Terminals. A large number of tilt slab buildings were designed for commercial and industrial clients in the early 90s.Tramping – We generally get out for one long tramp per year and enjoy shorter tramps as well. Cycling – I have recently taken up Road Cycling and have competed in 3 Round Taupo races and are now training for another
Anita Bilby
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Anita is a qualified accountant with Ernst & Young.
Brief biography:
Anita has over 15 years experience in New Zealand, the US and the UK in accounting and audit. In her role with Ernst & Young she has worked with a range of charitable organisations including Child Cancer Foundation, King’s School and Building for Education.In addition she works with a number of corporate organisations ranging from entrepreneurial start up companies to NZX listed groups.
Anita is a qualified accountant with Ernst & Young.
Brief biography:
Anita has over 15 years experience in New Zealand, the US and the UK in accounting and audit. In her role with Ernst & Young she has worked with a range of charitable organisations including Child Cancer Foundation, King’s School and Building for Education.In addition she works with a number of corporate organisations ranging from entrepreneurial start up companies to NZX listed groups.
Rick Rainey
Skills and experience relevant to Board:
Business and Strategic planning, Operational Review, Vendor and IT management.
Brief biography:
Rick currently operates his own Business Consultancy, after a previous 30 years’ experience of engineering and business leadership gained in both local and international IT and consulting companies. Rick provides Strategic and IT advisory services to shareholders/boards, executives, and staff, in both Government and non-Government sectors.
Outside of his professional career, Rick is a keen sailor, having spent many years cruising the Hauraki Gulf, and East Coast of the North Island, including offshore to Fiji. Rick has previously been a long term volunteer with the Auckland Volunteer Coastguard, in both an operational and management capacity. Currently Rick is involved in youth sailing through the Murrays Bay Sailing Club.
Business and Strategic planning, Operational Review, Vendor and IT management.
Brief biography:
Rick currently operates his own Business Consultancy, after a previous 30 years’ experience of engineering and business leadership gained in both local and international IT and consulting companies. Rick provides Strategic and IT advisory services to shareholders/boards, executives, and staff, in both Government and non-Government sectors.
Outside of his professional career, Rick is a keen sailor, having spent many years cruising the Hauraki Gulf, and East Coast of the North Island, including offshore to Fiji. Rick has previously been a long term volunteer with the Auckland Volunteer Coastguard, in both an operational and management capacity. Currently Rick is involved in youth sailing through the Murrays Bay Sailing Club.
Michael Goudie
Brief biography:
Michael was educated with a Valuation and Property Management degree from Massey University. He worked in the property industry before moving into Local Government. Currently, Michael is an Auckland Councillor representing the Albany Ward. He is a former New Zealand Jetski Champion with a world ranking of 4th (Pro AM). His first passion is sports ranging from competitive to passive and Individual to Teams.
Michael was educated with a Valuation and Property Management degree from Massey University. He worked in the property industry before moving into Local Government. Currently, Michael is an Auckland Councillor representing the Albany Ward. He is a former New Zealand Jetski Champion with a world ranking of 4th (Pro AM). His first passion is sports ranging from competitive to passive and Individual to Teams.
