Outdoor Pursuits Centre CEO resigns

The man who headed the recreation centre where six college students and a teacher lost their lives in a 2008 canyoning tragedy is resigning to become head of a recreation training organisation.

Grant Davidson will leave his job as chief executive of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre (OPC) to become chief executive of Skills Active Aotearoa, its chairman Richard Beddie said.

Dr Davidson will take up the position early this year.

He was chief executive when six college students from Elim College in southeast Auckland and one of their teachers lost their lives in a flash flood while canyoning in the Mangatepopo Gorge on April 15, 2008.

No criminal charges were laid but the OPC was ordered to pay $480,000 in fines and reparation after admitting two charges laid under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Mr Beddie praised Dr Davidson's leadership of the OPC in the wake of the tragedy, saying he used "a values-based approach which allowed the organisation to form strong links with the affected families, maintain relationships with all key stakeholders and retain staff and business in a most trying time".

He said Dr Davidson had helped develop and operate the OPC and a marine outdoor educational facility on Great Barrier Island, and was also instrumental in managing the nationwide tribute tour for Sir Edmund Hillary "Summits for Ed" where 10,000 New Zealanders joined summit climbs in their local communities.

Dr Davidson's career had spanned oceanography, secondary school teaching, mountaineering instructor in Wales and associate lecturer in leisure studies at the University of Waikato prior to his position at the OPC, Mr Beddie said.

"We are extremely fortunate to have a leader with so much depth of knowledge and research in our industry sector and importantly someone with breadth of experience in how qualifications, training and competency can add to quality experiences in recreation."

Skills Active is an industry training organisation for sport, fitness and outdoor recreation activities.

Dr Davidson has been a director of Skills Active Aotearoa since 1999 but was excluded from all information pertaining to applicants, along with the appointment process itself, during the appointment process.

Mr Beddie said Dr Davidson was likely to leave several other governance positions he holds in the outdoor recreation sector to concentrate on his new role.

- NZPA