Hawke's Bay Power Consumers Trust candidate profile - Ken Gilligan
A current trustee, and previously chairman of the trust from 1999 to 2008. I was re-elected to the trust in 2011.
I was also chairman of the Energy Trusts of New Zealand Inc, from 2003 to 2008.
In 2011, I was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business. I am a Justice of the Peace.
Hastings and Napier electricity consumers are the owners of Unison and I want to continue to represent their rights and interests.
Through ownership of Unison, our consumers also share in the dividend paid to the trust and, like Diana Kirton and Helen Francis, I am committed to continue making sure consumers enjoy their benefits of ownership, until they tell me otherwise. "YOUR CHEQUE, YOUR CHOICE."
During the years I have been a trustee, I have taken special note of what our consumers want.
Consumers consistently tell us to keep paying them their share of the company dividend.
They look forward to getting their cheque and I intend to honour their confidence in re-electing me, by making sure they receive their cheque each year.
Unison is a very successful company and it has a positive future.
Decisions made to buy the Rotorua and Taupo networks have added considerable value to Unison and your trustees readily gave approval to that venture some years ago.
We also supported buying into companies that manufacture transformers both here and overseas, because that is in our consumers' interests as it increases profits for Unison and you, the shareholders.
Whenever a realistic business proposal that also adds value for shareholders has been submitted to the trust for approval, we have given consent on behalf of our consumer-owners.
My goal, as a trustee, is to watch over and care for the consumers' rights and interests, and provide Unison directors with the support and confidence to grow the company and shareholder value into the future.