From Midweek to Mayor
New mayor Neil Holdom is one of many who have made the switch from journalism to politics.
The former North Taranaki Midweek editor can still recall his interview for the job with Kevin Nielsen - now Hospice Taranaki’s chief executive.
‘‘In the interview he said, ‘Neil, there’s a perception that you’re a bit arrogant’. And I said to him, ‘people often confuse arrogance with confidence, Kevin’.’’
Previously, he had left the Taranaki Daily News in 1999 to travel in the US for around five months.
On his return, he was given part-time work as a sub-editor for the Midweek and lived the life of ’’a semi-retired 20-somethingyear-old’’, he said.
He credits his time with the paper for honing his communication skills - something that served him well during his election campaign.
‘‘The newspaper taught me a lot about language and distilling information to the point where you can actually pose it in a way people can understand it.
‘‘It also taught me to think visually.’’
He credits the general manager of the time, Rod Hall, for growing him in the position.
‘‘The Midweek editor was kind of seen as junior management, but he said I was part of the management team and brought me into the board room. That taught me how to see and run the Midweek as a business.’’ His decision to leave the Midweek in 2003 was purely selfish, he said. He knew the goals he and his wife Melissa had for their lives and a move into communications and management and Powerco better funded those goals. Within a year of moving to Powerco, Holdom became the communications manager and about five years after that, the corporate affairs manager. ‘‘And they smashed training into me,’’ he said. However, during his time writing for the community, he said he never really thought about a future in local body politics. ‘‘Having kids, it makes you think a little bit more about what sort of environment they’re going to grow up in.’’
But he was adamant his mayoralty would not come at the expense of his family. ‘‘I’m a dad first, and a husband.’’
Holdom was officially confirmed as the district’s mayor on October 9, and was the highest polling councillor for the city ward.