Petrolhead with passion for community, finance
With her graduate diploma in secondary teaching successfully completed, Kathy Gibson will emerge from a chrysalis into full-time education in 2019.
This year she has taken time out. Well, almost.
It hasn’t prevented her becoming a member of the Feilding Bridge Club Committee and being appointed to the Manfeild Park Trust Board in October.
She describes herself as a hard worker behind the scenes, giving back to the community.
‘‘It’s not about self, it’s about others,’’ she says.
Gibson admits she’s a petrolhead and has had a long-term interest in Manfeild, ever since she returned to Manawatu¯ with husband Paul and two young daughters 16 years ago.
‘‘Manfeild is the jewel in our crown,’’ she affirms. ‘‘It’s important it takes its place as a premier venue in New Zealand.’’
Gibson comes from a community-minded family and service was installed in her at an early age.
Her father, Des Black, was a former mayor of the city during its centenary.
‘‘My family was about developing positive relationships and service,’’ she says.
When she left Nga Tawa Diocesan School in Rangitı¯kei, she studied for and completed a bachelor of science in environmental toxicology at Massey and Otago universities.
‘‘I have a strong love of animals, their health and the environment. I studied the effect of pesticides in streams and rivers.’’
From Otago, she returned to Massey and completed a postgraduate study in business administration, majoring in marketing and tourism management.
That quickly led to an appointment with Marac Corporation in Wellington. She became their youngest female manager with responsibility for the South Island’s corporate market and its territorial local authorities.
The role was important as she was able to build and sustain significant relationships and networks. She also learned about what made a successful business tick.
After further experience in Christchurch, she was ‘‘ready for the big one’’. In 1992, she was appointed New Zealand Trade Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
It was a four-year appointment and she was based at New Zealand House in the Haymarket. It was a whirlwind year.
She married Paul Gibson in August and started as trade commissioner in September.
‘‘We had a four-year honeymoon,’’ she says. ‘‘It was extremely busy. New Zealand was in a climate of being export-driven, with a huge amount of interest expressed by Kiwi companies wanting to access UK and Europe. I added some value to that.’’
Among her many achievements was to hold the first promotional event at Dublin Castle to introduce New Zealand wine to Ireland.
Showcasing food and beverages was an important part of her profile and, when she returned to New Zealand, she became team leader for food and beverage for Trade New Zealand.
Just like she emerged from a chrysalis this year, she entered one in the late 1990s. She went on maternity leave and, during her time at home, gave birth to Rebecca and Elizabeth.
Even then she successfully juggled parenthood with further university study and completed a postgraduate diploma in finance and investment at the University of Auckland.
‘‘I was a finance geek with all the figures in my head but nothing academic to show for them. The postgraduate diploma was the study and qualification I needed,’’ Gibson says.
Then came a Christmas the family will always remember.
Kathy and Paul decided they didn’t want to raise their daughters in Auckland and so looked for employment elsewhere. Gibson applied for the chief executive’s position at Destination Manawatu¯ and the appointment was confirmed on Christmas Eve.
She became a familiar face in Palmerston North during the next six years as she successfully made bids for sporting events for the city and created strong connections with companies and agencies outside of the region.
Relocating i-site to The Square was a further achievement. Of particular interest was attracting the Special Olympics to Palmerston North in 2009.
As Gibson prepared the bid to bring them here, she became aware that Special Olympics New Zealand was without a chief executive.
What they represented and achieved interested her and she applied for the vacant position. She was successful and so, as chief executive of Destination Manawatu¯ , she concluded the deal and as head of Special Olympics New Zealand she delivered the event.
Gibson’s expertise in establishing relationships played a significant part in her Special Olympics role as well as managing its growth phase. Her focus was on fundraising, finance and building a robust organisation.
She would leave the family’s small beef farm in Rongotea on Sunday, drive to Lower Hutt and not return home until the weekend.
These days she is happy and satisfied at home. She aims to play more golf, improve her bridge and is looking forward to a full-time position at Feilding High School in 2019.
‘‘Manfeild is the jewel in our crown. It’s important it takes its place as a premier venue in New Zealand.’’