Tauranga businessman and philanthropist Neil Craig considered turning down an offer to be named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours.
He reconsidered after taking into account what it would mean for those who had supported him through the years. He thought about what the honour would have meant to his late father, Jock Craig, a King Country farmer and war veteran, and his mother June, 91, who instilled in the family a belief that people should give back to their communities and help others.
"I'm not keen on awards recognising success in business. I don't think it's a reason for getting public recognition. My initial reaction was to decline it and then I thought of all the other things that go along with it, my family, my workmates and, particularly, my father.
"He had an incredible work ethic and did a lot of work in the community before he died in 1988. I reflected on him and his life ... he would have been proud [of his son receiving the award]. It was in the back of my mind that it was a good reason to accept it."
Mr Craig received the honour for services to business and philanthropy. He founded Craigs Investment Partners in 1983 and has contributed to a range of organisations as a director or in a philanthropic capacity. He served on the board of the New Zealand Stock Exchange at a time of significant restructuring. His contribution to the development of a successful stock exchange and the wider New Zealand capital markets is well acknowledged within the investment industry.