Tauranga’s Hunt wins Director’s Cup
Ray White Commercial Tauranga director Philip Hunt has been awarded the real estate company’s Director’s Cup. Hunt was announced the winner at this year’s Ray White Commercial 2021 annual awards on Australia’s Gold Coast.
The Director’s Cup is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to Ray White. Judges said Hunt has been consistently recognised as an Elite Performer, qualifying this year as an Elite in just two months.
Hunt also won the Top Individual Customer Service (Clients’ Choice) Award, along with Tauranga’s Christy Arundel. Hunt has received this award for the sixth year in a row, and Arundel for the second year in a row.
Ray White Commercial also won the Top International Branch for Customer Service (Clients’ Choice) Award, for the fifth year in a row.
Ray White Commercial head of agency operations Andrew Freeman said: “Our growth has been phenomenal in our 20th year. In a year of lockdowns and restrictions, Ray White Commercial sold or leased an additional billion dollars of real estate.”
Te Arawa Fisheries unveil innovative H¯ı mussel range
A new brand of mussels that embody the best parts of Ma¯ ori innovation and tradition is being launched in North Island supermarkets.
Distribution into the South Island and Australia is expected later this year, while plans are under way to enter the North America and Europe markets.
Te Arawa-owned and operated, H¯ı are bite-sized, green-lipped mussels sustainably farmed off the Coromandel.
The new brand is launching with infused and marinated ranges. The infused range is blanched and steamed, drawing on the legacy of a Ma¯ ori cooking method. and are available in the standard 350g punnet as well as, for the first time, familysized 500g buckets.
Chief executive of Te Arawa Chris Karamea Insley says sustainability is a top priority. “We want to leave this whenua better off than how we found it. That means investing in long-term, sustainable solutions to farming kaimoana, as well as packaging them in a sustainable way.
Profit from this new venture will be invested back into initiatives that benefit iwi Ma¯ ori.
Tower appoints chief financial officer
Tower Limited has appointed Paul Johnston as chief financial officer. Johnston will join Tower from Chubb, one of the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance companies.
Before joining Chubb, Johnston spent four years at AIG, including as a global finance director of personal insurance, based out of the
UK. He is returning to New Zealand after more than 15 years offshore.
Tower chairman Michael Stiassny said the board was pleased to welcome a CFO of Johnston’s calibre. “We are confident he will bring exceptional strength to the Tower leadership team.” Johnston’s experience is predominantly in general insurance but also includes the complexities of reinsurance, regulation and reporting. He joins Tower in January.
BDO scholarship to increase Ma¯ ori in accounting
BDO has launched its Sir Henare Ngata Scholarship for Ma¯ ori accountant students heading into their final year of study.
The company hopes to use scholarships and internships to further accounting careers for successful applicants Three national scholarships will be on offer, which will consist of financial assistance for study-related costs to the value of $7500, and an internship at a BDO firm.
It will also include registration for Nga¯ Kaitatau Ma¯ori o Aotearoa hui and related costs up to $1500, plus mentorship with BDO for the final year of study (from March to November).
Sir Henare Ngata is noted as being the first Ma¯ ori chartered accountant.
Applications for the Sir Henare Ngata scholarship will be open until November 26, 2021, with the winners announced in January next year.
Toi Ohomai Charity Golf Tournament
The annual 2021 Toi Ohomai Charity Golf Tournament returns next month to raise funds to support women returning to education.
This year’s tournament will be on November 19 at Omanu Golf Club in Mount Maunganui.
Every year Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology hosts this tournament with the aim of raising $20,000 for the New Horizons for Women Trust to support New Zealand women in tertiary and second-chance education.
Lifestyle Choices becomes part of Community Living
Community Living and Lifestyle Choices has announced that Lifestyle Choices has become a part of Community Living. Lifestyle Choices has been providing disability support services in the Tauranga, Katikati and Bay of Plenty since 2001. Community Living chief executive Warren Herring said Bay of Plenty residents will be offered the same service, with the same support staff. “This will keep disruption to a minimum for both Lifestyle Choices staff and the people they work for.” Community Living Limited is a disability services provider based in Hamilton, with more than 400 staff supporting disabled people.
Geoscience engineering firm ENGEO celebrates 50th
Geoscience engineering firm ENGEO is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It has expanded to 22 offices in Australia, the United States and New Zealand, including Tauranga, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Queenstown.
ENGEO’S president and chief executive Uri Eliahu said: “For 50 years, ENGEO has created innovative solutions for some of the most complex engineering challenges around the world, and it’s all due to our great employees who truly care and consistently think outside the box.”