A man with a number of award-winning promotional campaigns under his belt has been appointed general manager of The Centre, Kerikeri's $7 million arts and events facility, following the stepping down of initial appointee, Murray Heke.
Jock O'Connor, who has a background in journalism and public relations, returned to the Bay of Islands last year after three decades in Auckland and is now to manage The Centre.
Mr O'Connor trained as a journalist, working as a reporter in the early 1970s on The Northern News in Kaikohe and more recently as a part time reporter for the Northern Advocate.
His wife Barbara is originally from the district.
Mr O'Connor has been an adviser to many major organisations in the public and private sectors and became a specialist in sponsorship, managing investments by major corporates and brand owners in medicine, culture, sports and the arts.
He promoted two of Sir Peter Blakes' Whitbread Around The World campaigns and won an award in 2000 for a public education campaign on behalf of Auckland City.
Mr O'Connor says he finds The Centre to be an extraordinarily ambitious concept, both in form and scope and as such deserves the wholehearted support of the general pubic, the arts community and the business sector.
It promises to deliver a whole new level of entertainment and facilitation for events, conferences and cultural expression.
"The way I see it, The Centre has the potential to do for the Bay of Islands what the opera house did for Sydney - become a symbol of pride and a measure of sophistication," he said.
Over the past four years more than $4 million towards the centre has been raised by the local community.
Scheduled for a May 2005 opening, the complex will provide a top-class facility for community groups and the performing arts for the Northland region.
PR man Jock O'Connor to manage The Centre
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