Sowing the seeds of business

Business Hawke's Bay CEO Susan White, Crowe Horwath partner Michelle Turfrey, Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard and Giblin Group founder Jenni Giblin (right). Photo / Supplied

The call for business leaders has been answered, with three people stepping up to the board of Business Hawke's Bay (BHB).

Giblin Group founder Jenni Giblin, Crowe Horwath partner Michelle Turfrey and Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard have joined nine members on the region's economic development agency board.

Ahead of its AGM last month, board chairman Stuart McLauchlan called for business leaders to join to "add further strength to our collective skill set and who can step in to make things happen".

He said the calibre of candidates for the economic development agency's voluntary positions "to make things happen" was gratifying.

"We had a number of quality applicants who were prepared to contribute the many unpaid hours that we all contribute to work with our small BHB team," he said.

"It is very heartening to know there is that support amongst the business community to help grow business in Hawke's Bay."

Ms Giblin founded her local and central government consultancy business after a career in the public sector. She worked in parliament as a research unit director and in local government as a policy adviser and strategy manager.

She works with local bodies and managers/proposers of regional infrastructure to develop strategies, plans and policies, raise capital and build relationships.

"Business Hawkes Bay must continue to play its part in the regional renaissance that is vital for New Zealand's long-term prosperity," she said. "Councils need to be bold and brave to champion change if we are to continue to attract people to regional New Zealand."

A Crowe Horwath business advisory principal based in Waipukurau, Ms Turfrey has been a chartered accountant since 1989 and joined the firm in 2005. She said her commercial experience gave her an understanding of the challenges, opportunities and frustrations faced by business owners, including those engaged in manufacturing, construction and professional services. Crowe Horwath has been a long-term supporter of BHB.

"Working alongside other Hawke's Bay business leaders who are equally committed to our collective future gives me the opportunity to use my skills for the benefit of the business community," she said.

Alan Pollard joined industry organisation Pipfruit NZ in 2012 and is a chartered accountant and has a background in the management of large law firms.

Prior to Pipfruit NZ he was a director of BHB's peer organisation the Canterbury Development Corporation. He is also a past-president of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce.

"The pipfruit sector is a major contributor to provincial New Zealand's economic wellbeing," he said.

"We're the fastest-growing primary sector in New Zealand and with our further significant growth projections, it's appropriate that the industry takes some leadership in driving economic activity."

Current board members are: Stuart McLauchlan, Langley Twigg; Chris Collins, EIT; Robert Darroch, Future Products Group; Chris Bain, Port of Napier appointee; Doug Ducker, Pan Pac Forest Products; Hamish Whyte, Furnware Industries; Ken Sutherland, Unison; Hamish White, NOW and Mike Purchas from sportsground.co.nz.