BPW NZ

After graduating from Adelaide University with a degree in Agricultural Science she moved to New Zealand in 1983 to take up a position as national Viticulturalist for Montana Wines.

In 1984, Jane married Ernie Hunter, an Irishman, who had established Hunter’s Wines in Marlborough in 1978. It was Ernie who recognised the vast potential of Marlborough as a premier wine-growing region.

When Ernie died in 1987, Jane left Montana, undertook to carry on Ernie’s dream and became the driving force behind the ongoing success of Hunters Wines.

Jane and the team headed by Chief Winemaker Gary Duke, have continued to follow Ernie’s philosophy of Quality not Quantity. The list of industry accolades is impressive indeed with over 130 Gold Medals and numerous trophies and awards.

Jane was awarded an OBE for service to the Wine Industry in 1993. She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Massey University for her outstanding contribution to the industry.

As a fitting tribute after 25 years as Hunters Wines, Jane was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Viticulture.

In February 2009 Jane was named as a recipient of the annual KEA, Trade and Enterprise World Class Award New Zealand Award. The awards recognise New Zealanders who make an outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s economic development.

Lyn took up the position of Controller and Auditor-General on 5 October 2009. She joined the Audit Office as an Assistant Auditor in 1978 before a stint in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Lyn came back to the Audit Office in 1985 as the Director of Professional Services and became Assistant Auditor-General in 1980.

Lyn’s career has included senior roles within the State Services Commission and Archives New Zealand, before eight successful years as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Resource Management).

As Controller and Auditor-General, Lyn’s principal functions and duties are set out in the Public Audit Act 2001.

Ensure that the office carries out its obligation to conduct audits of public sector bodies and report to Parliament on the results of the audits
Ensure the efficient, effective and economical management of the Office of the Auditor-General.

Steven Nayda has been managing and delivering business development and training projects for over 14 years. He is an energetic and expert facilitator, who can engage and unite
people of diverse perspectives and interests.

Steven has designed and delivered training programmes in management, leadership, people development and business strategy for a wide range of audiences across New Zealand.

He also conducts consultancy projects, including business reviews and strategic planning assignments for government, industry and private organisations. He has also established and leads the Human Resource Service team for BDO Gisborne.

He passionately believes the key to business success and growth is by getting the best performance from people.

Authentic Leadership
What do leaders in New Zealand business need to do to make their business a success?

Will this lift our profitability, stop the brain drain and make our businesses “globally competitive”?

Steven considers these seemingly ambitious goals in a practical sense with a focus on what small business can do (without spending a lot). His presentation focuses on the vital role leadership plays in becoming a better boss, of a successful business, in a growing economy.

In his 14 years of training and coaching, Steven has observed that over 60% of participants in his services are women. Would this reflect the balance of leadership in New Zealand?

Steven considers the role women in business can play in authentic leadership. Steven’s presentation can be downloaded to view in full.

Bronwen Holdsworth
Saturday Panellist
Bronwen Holdsworth is Chairman of the Holdsworth Group,which includes manufacturing, farming, forestry, property and investment companies.

The flagship company, Pultron Composites Ltd, is an innovative, internationally regarded Gisborne based pultrusion manufacturing company, with a branch in theMiddle East, which has won various awards and commendations.

With four highly educated and achieving children and happily married for nearly 40 years to Pultrons Technical Director, Peter Holdsworth, Bronwen has been actively involved with a wide range of activities at community and national levels – particularly in the areas of the arts, education, business and tourism.

She was on the East Coast Development Board from 1989, and Deputy Chairperson 1991-1995: a member of the Ministerial Task Force on International Competitiveness (1989): a member of the State Services Commission panel to select CEO’s of the new government Ministries (1991-2000); and on the steering committee for the APEC Women’s Leaders
Network and Conference in 1999.

She has also been a member of the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Council (1995-1997); a member of a Technological Innovation Working Group appointed by the Ministers of Research, Science and Technology and Commerce on 1997 and a member of the FRST Technology Advisory Committee.

Among other directorships, she was on the Boards of TVNZ, the NZ Symphony Orchestra, and establishing Chairman of First Light Tourism and the Gisborne Opera Festival.
Bronwen was MORE Business Woman of the Year in 1988; was awarded a NZ Commemoration Medal in 1990: and ONZM in 1997 and a Gisborne Millennium Medal in 2000

Over the past few years she has devoted herself more to expanding family interests - both business and grandchildren.

Ingrid Collins:
Saturday Panellist
Ingrid has been in governance positions since she was first appointed to the board of Whangara B5 Incorporation in 1974. Since then she has had many governance roles, mostly associated with Maori Farming or the medical industry.

In farming circles she has lead the Whangara B5 Incorporation through large change in recent times, culminating with the establishment of a Partnership with a sister Incorporation to form the Pakarae/Whangara Partnership, now known as Whangara Farms. Ingrid has been Chairman of this Partnership since its establishment in 2006.

In 2009 Pakarae Whangara B5 was the winner of “Awhuwhenua”, BNZ Maori Excellence in farming award. Among the judge’s comments, “the Partnership represented true leadership, vision and hard work.”

In 2003 Ingrid was appointed Chairperson of the Tairawhiti District Health Board. This has been a very challenging role given the very public nature of the Board.

She has led the Board through some very demanding changes to the health system. This role has required attendance at numerous governance training workshops, increasing my knowledge of good corporate governance.

Mavis Mullens MBA
Saturday Panellist
Mavis Mullins is currently the Chair of Te Huarahi Tika Trust, previously known as the Maori Spectrum Trust.

Mrs Mullins has a long history in representing Maori aspirations and Maori communities, particularly in the wool industry. Together with her whanau, Mavis runs Paewai Mullins, the first shearing company in the world to achieve ISO 9002 certification.

Mavis is also a founding member of the Maori wool cooperative Wools of Aotearoa and worked for the NZ Nurses Organisations Fair pay equity campaign from 2003 – 2006 and worked for the Australian Council of Trade Unions as a community campaigner in the fight for fair workplace laws.

Kath Kitchen
Saturday Panellist
Kath has been a member of BPW Gisborne for 25 years and in that time has covered all positions in the club, including being conference chair for the last time the NZ Conference was held in Gisborne.

Currently Kath manages an aluminium and timber joinery business in Gisborne, being a qualified architectural designer and kitchen designer.

Recently she also completed a post graduate certificate in Construction Management from Victoria University.

Gisborne Registered Master Builders is currently undertaking to build as a charity build a $900,000 community building for Diabetes and Chronic Illnesses, Kath is the co-ordinator for the project and is also President of the Gisborne Master Builders.

Kath represents the Fisher Aluminium Group on the Fletcher Aluminium Council, helping to form policy and marketing of the brand.

At present she is also a community appointee on the Tairawhiti District Health Board’s Hospital advisory Committee and this is where the need for the community build was recognised.

Red Bag Day 18 February (PDF file 483kb)
28 years of false promises and the Equal Pay Act has women seeing red
"Despite legislation and assurances from the government, the gender pay gap has reduced to nothing more than 12%," says Angela McLeod President, NZ Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPWNZ).

Today marks the day women start climbing out of economic deficit.

"Actually, if we look at the latest figures, the gender pay gap per hour worked in the last quarter of 2009 has increased to more like 13%"

BPW groups throughout the world have chosen equal pay day to highlight the gender pay gap and educate citizens about what this means to women and their families.

"It exists, it's unfair and it's unacceptable."

In this current economic environment, women need a sound financial base to survive, pay the bills and look after their families.

"When you have women as the majority of graduates from tertiary institutions earning, on average, 8% less than their male counterparts at the end of their first year of employment and a hideous 14% less after 5 years, something's wrong"

Women find it harder to pay back their student loans as a result, and the continuing inequity throughout their lives renders it difficult for them to build an effective economic base and can even leave them up to $400,000 worse off at retirement, as compared to men.

"If the government saw fit to reduce the gender pay gap, they would effectively be injecting billions of dollars in to the economy, creating jobs and bringing this country out of recession.

"Today", says Mrs McLeod, "businesses and government need to listen to the women of New Zealand and reduce the gender pay gap".

Christina Berton Tour
BPW, in conjunction with others, hosted the Christina Berton tour of New Zealand between 16 – 31 October 2009 delivering seminars and workshops on ‘Empowering Women through Self Esteem’ – A project to present a different perspective on family violence.
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70th Anniversary Reception & Road Show, Thursday April 30th, 5.30pm - 8.00pm, Archives New Zealand, Molesworth St, Wellington.
The opening function of our 70th Anniversary Year. Was well attended by BPW Members and invited guests. Members mingled drinks and nibbles while being able to view the Roadshow and the new BPW Banners. Speakers included the Hon Pansy Wong, Mister for Women's Affairs, Sue Kedgley, MP Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and Faye Gardiner, outgoing President of BPWNZ.