South Port appoints new boss

South Port has a new director and she says the company has the opportunity to seize regional growth.

The company’s annual meeting last week marked the retirement of long-serving director Graham Heenan, who had a 12-year involvement with the port. Clare Kearney was appointed in his place.

Kearney comes from a farming background and has a degree in agricultural science, majoring in farm business management and dairy science. She lives in Oamaru but said she lived in Gore for several years and had ‘‘a soft spot’’ for southern hospitality.

She said she would bring experience in governance to the role. It allowed her to take a ‘‘helicopter view’’, to look more widely at things that might affect business, she said.

‘‘The strategic overview is what I can bring to the board. I am an independent thinker but a team player as well.’’

South Port had the opportunity to support growth in the Southland region, she said.

‘‘Among the things coming up over the horizon are emerging technologies. It’s having an understanding of this and how they will enhance the company’s operations.’’

She said she was honoured the shareholders had appointed her to the board. ‘‘I’ve had a very warm welcome both by the management and senior staff.’’

Kearney holds a masters of professional studies, having com- pleted her masters’ thesis on governance in 2013.

She is chairwoman of Network Waitaki Ltd, having joined the board in 2005, and is chairwoman of Sport Otago and the Waitaki Safer Communities Trust.

She was the winner of the Institute of Directors Otago Branch Aspiring Director Award in 2014 and had the opportunity to act as an observer director to the Dunedin City Holdings subsidiary company, Taieri Gorge Railway Limited during 2015.

She has also been involved with the Waitaki Community Garden Trust, St Joseph’s School Oamaru Board of Trustees and was an appointee on the external review panel for the executive development programme for Lincoln University.

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