The New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology Establishment Board (the Establishment Board) is today announcing directors for the boards of subsidiary Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), effective from 1 April 2020.
The following people have agreed to serve as directors on the board of EIT from 1 April 2020:
Hilton Collier (Ngāti Porou) – Chair
Chrissie Hape (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, and Moriori) – Deputy Chair
Ross McKelvie
Geraldine Travers
“The appointment of this Board of Directors is a significant step forward in the journey towards a cohesive, sustainable vocational education system,” says Establishment Board Chair Barry Jordan.
“In making these appointments we have balanced the need to ensure continuity of operation with sound local and regional relationships. We are delighted with the diversity of thought within each board, alongside the complementary skills and experience that will drive positive outcomes for their respective communities.”
The Education (Vocational Education and Training Reform) Amendment Act requires that the initial board for each subsidiary ITP comprise at least four and no more than eight directors, of which at least half must reside within the region that the subsidiary primarily serves.
EIT Board Chair Hilton Collier says, “We have a strong presence in this region from Dannevirke all the way to East Cape, and I look forward to seeing EIT continue to flourish and maintain its connection and relevance to our region as a well-regarded institute.”
“I am passionate about meeting the needs of our current generation of learners and future generations to come. By providing training in work alongside training for work, and equipping our workforce for new industries, we can generate huge social and economic benefits for the Hawkes Bay and East Coast regions.”
To further drive the shift from competition to operating as one regionally accessible network of provision, the Establishment Board has decided that one NZIST Council member will be a director on each subsidiary ITP board. Each board may also receive a ‘cross-Board appointee’. These names will be confirmed in April.
The IST Establishment Board based its approach to the appointment of directors on the Treasury framework used to appoint directors to the boards of Crown companies. More than 370 expressions of interest were received over the Christmas and New Year period.
All appointments to subsidiary boards are subject to ratification and approval by the NZIST Council on 1 April 2020. Members of this Council will be confirmed by the Minister of Education before the end of March.
Hilton Collier – Chair
Hilton is a Lincoln College graduate and an Agribusiness Manager by profession. His career extends from East Coast to Hawkes Bay where he provides strategic and leadership advice to an extensive network of agribusinesses. His interests include training and upskilling, research, commercialisation, public policy and regulation.
A founding shareholder in the Agri-business Agfirst, he currently leads both Pakihiroa Farms Limited and the Ngāti Pahauwera Farms and serves in various governance roles.
E tipu e rea mō ngā rā o tōu ao, (Grow up and serve your generation) – Tā Apirana Ngata
Christina Hape – Deputy Chair
Chrissie is of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, and Moriori descent and is the Kaiwhakahaere Matua (Chief Executive) of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc, responsible for the leadership and the operational management of the Iwi office and the achievement of the Annual Plan.
Chrissie has over 35 years’ experience working in the government and community sectors and four years with Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi. Her career has predominantly focused on the creation and strengthening of partnerships between government, community, and Iwi which facilitate improved health, education, social and wellbeing outcomes and the reduction of inequities of families and communities as a whole.
Chrissie oversaw the establishment of Takitimu Seafoods Limited Partnership as acting Chief Executive for eight months. She was recently appointed as a Director for Health HB (Hawkes Bay Primary Health Organisation) after serving three years as a Trustee on Te Matau a Maui Health Trust.
Chrissie worked at the Iwi office as the Senior Advisor Iwi Partnerships for 3 years leading initiatives to repatriate children from state care back to families and improving practices to strengthen and increase whānau resilience and capability across the social and health sectors.
Ross McKelvie
Ross was born in Wellington and moved to Napier in his youth. His previous business interests include owning a photography studio, Metro Rentals and Buses, and financial services business Payment Systems. With his wife Barbara, they own NZ Unlimited, an inbound tourism business.
Ross has been a Ministerial appointee to the EIT Council for 15 years and for the past nine years has chaired the Audit committee. Ross is a member of the Napier Rotary Club and his interests include Motorsport (competing and watching), travelling in New Zealand and abroad and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Geraldine Travers
MNZM JP
Following a long career in secondary education, 24 as Principal of two secondary schools, Geraldine received a number of prestigious awards including: a Woolf Fisher Travelling Fellowship, a National Excellence in Leadership award from the NEITA Foundation, and an MNZM for services to education.
Geraldine was elected to the Hastings District Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2019 and currently chairs their Operations and Monitoring Committee. She became a ministerial appointment to the EIT Council in 2008 and Chair of the Council in 2018.