Aucklander takes up Sports Hawke's Bay CEO role

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Mark Aspden (left), new CEO of Sport Hawke's Bay, Damon Harvey, chairman, and Colin Stone, outgoing CEO, at the Pettigrew-Green Arena in Taradale. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

Sport Hawke's Bay has a new chief executive.

Staff formally met Mark Aspden, who arrived from Auckland, at a lunchtime meeting yesterday.

As well as meeting the Sport Hawke's Bay crew he also took time out to chat with former chief executive Colin Stone as apart from taking on the role Mr Stone held for 17 years both have a strong link with the game of football.

Mr Aspden is chairman of the New Zealand Football Executive Committee with Football New Zealand and Mr Stone was the driving force for the Napier City Rovers club - having arrived in Napier after working with the Wimbledon Football Club in England.

His passion for sport "and its importance for individuals and communities" drew Mr Aspden to pursue the chief executive role, which he will take up on May 11.

"I am excited about taking on the role of chief executive of Sport Hawke's Bay and I know that the organisation, with Colin Stone at the helm, has been a high achiever and has made a positive impact on the Hawke's Bay community."

Mr Stone resigned in mid-January.

He announced the news after he had been accepted for the role of performance consultant for community sport with Sport New Zealand.

He takes the new post up next week.

Mr Stone said it had been a difficult decision to move to Wellington.

"It has been a humbling experience to lead Sport Hawke's Bay through this growth and I now feel that the time is right to take on similar challenges and projects at a national level."

Mr Aspden is a partner in Auckland law firm Harrison Stone and would step down before taking on his new job in the Bay.

He will however remain chairman of New Zealand Football until its 2015 Congress which will be held after the completion of the Fifa Under 20 Men's World Cup in late June.

He said yesterday he was looking forward to his new sporting role.

"Hawke's Bay is already a very strong sporting region and I am looking forward to working with the team at Sport Hawke's Bay and with other key stakeholders to continue to grow sport and recreation in the Bay."

Sport Hawke's Bay chairman Damon Harvey said there had been several "excellent" candidates.

"Mark was at the top of the list based on his commercial experience, strong sports background and relationship management."

He said the Hawke's Bay sporting fraternity had been fortunate to have Mr Stone as its chief executive and it was important for Sport Hawke's Bay to have appointed someone who would quickly foster strong relationships with its stakeholders, and who would be a "good fit" with staff.

Mr Harvey said finance manager Annette Mossman would be appointed as interim chief executive until Mr Aspden took up the position.

Mr Stone was officially being farewelled at a function tonight.

"Colin's contribution has been incredible," Mr Harvey said.

He has shaped Sport Hawke's Bay as an organisation that creates a positive impact across sport, health and education throughout the region and he will be sorely missed."