Paku in a happy place in hotseat
Shannon Paku is full of excitment ahead of taking on his new role as chief executive of the Manawatu¯ Rugby Union.
The 37-year-old, who will start the role on March 26, met with staff on Tuesday, the day after the union officially announced his appointment.
Paku said Manawatu¯ seemed like the perfect place to make the next step in his career.
‘‘I spent four months here in 2010 with the Turbos. I loved it. The on-field performance was not that flash, but the people and the region were great. I just have a love for the region. The calibre of personal here from a rugby perspective is very high.’’
Paku, who played for for Wellington, Auckland, Manawatu¯ , the Hurricanes and the Blues, will take over from outgoing chief executive John Knowles.
‘‘I envision I will have a bit of time up here between now and then anyway,’’ Paku said. ‘‘That will just be the odd day here and there and maybe just to meet a few stakeholders and staff and spend some time with Knowlesy.’’
He will move to Palmerston North before his start date, which means he has to hand over the dayto-day running of his trucking company, which is contracted to Goodman Fielder, to wife Frances, who will initially remain in Wellington with the couple’s three children.
‘‘She already knows a lot of what is going on in the business. Our youngest is starting school next year so she is excited about the challenge. She feels like she has been stuck at home for the last 11 years and she is an ambitious lady.’’
While Paku loves his business, he could not pass up the chance to take on a leadership role in rugby when good friend and North Harbour chief executive David Gibson tipped him off about the opening.
Paku beat out 28 applicants to be awarded the role.
He hoped to continue the positive work put in by Knowles.
‘‘I want to spend a lot of time in the community,’’ he said. ‘‘Knowlesy’s nine years in the role have been really positive for Manawatu¯ . I just really want to get engaged with the community from the stakeholders to the juniors right through to the professional unit.’’
Paku said he had ideas on the direction that he wanted to take the union, but first wanted to get out among the community to hear what they wanted.
From there he hoped to provide a vision that everyone could be proud of.
As for the chances of him lacing up his boots in club rugby during his chief executive tenure, Paku was quick to rule it out.
‘‘I played a game last year in November and I ruptured my achilles. My mind was willing but my body was trying to tell me something.’’
"The people and the region were great. I just have a love for the region." Shannon Paku