Pacific network welcomes chamber
Waikato Pacific Business Network hosted the Waikato Chamber of Commerce BA4 at the K’aute Pasifika Trust fale last month. Young Pacific volunteers brought great energy and enthusiasm to the event by lending a hand, and learning in these spaces. Present was the network’s new board member Jodhi Warwick-Ponga from Vertical Horizonz. Photos: Marcelo Mieres.
ASB Bank commercial manager Colin Young, left with Pragma Group director Sanjil Mistry and Rob Finlayson, Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Development and Relationship manager.
Centre for Business and Enterprise team manager Priscilla Davis-Ngatai, left with Wintec Te Pukenga marketing coordinator Sarsha Ponga and new Pacific Network board member Jodhi Warwick-Ponga, Programmes and Apprenticeships head at Vertical Horizonz.
Tala O’Brien of TSM Consult Engineers, left with Jourdan Lee, director Waikato Shutters and Blinds and Abdul Gibraan, Procurement manager Waikato District Council.
Harcourts Monarch Real Estate specialist Lee Watkins, left with Quantum Group’s financial advisor-risk assurance specialist Graham Bunt and Ksenia Kruchkina real estate agent from Waikato Real Estate.
Cemac commercial sales manager Hoana Renau, left with Vidcom NZ business development manager Jason Monk.
Waikato Pacific Business Network chair Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau, left with K’aute Pasifika Trust chief executive Wilmason Jensen and consultant Tracey Olivier.
Biorefinery opens
The world’s first commercial seaweed biorefinery opened in Paeroa last month. AgriSea will produce up to 1600kg of eco-friendly nanocullulose hydrogel a week which can be used across the medical, agricultural and cosmetic industries, among others – e.g. for advanced wound dressings and drug delivery, better seedling survival and as a renewable cream base. The Bioeconomy Science Institute has a strong partnership with AgriSea providing the technical and scientific expertise to help them make this a reality. The idea was initially born following an informal meeting between AgriSea owners Clare and Tane Bradley and two of the institute’s scientists. Photos: Supplied.
AgriSea’s Ali Price in the seaweed biorefinery at the opening.
Cutting the ribbon at AgriSea’s world-first commercial seaweed nanocellulose biorefinery, from left MPs Chris Penk (Building), Tama Potaka (Conservation), Jenny Marcroft (undersecretary) and Scott Simpson (Coromandel) with AgriSea senior project coordinator Taonui Campbell in the background.
Ten years of impact
The Community and Enterprise Leadership Foundation (CELF) celebrated 10 years of strengthening leadership across Waikato last month at Weave Eatery in Innovation Park, Hamilton. The celebration event honoured the vision and commitment of founders, supporters and programme participants who have built bridges between sectors and created lasting, positive change in the region. Hosts Norm Hill and Julian Williams guided the evening with warmth and mana, opening and closing with karakia, mihi whakatau and waiata. Photos: Stephen Barker.
Celebrating 10 years, from left: Saffron Mitchell, Aldrin Arguelles, Stacey Ward and Leigh Singers.
Masters of ceremonies Julian Williams, left and Norm Hill with CELF chief executive Tania Witheford.
More graduates, from left Shobana Reddy, Jenny Nand and Rangimahora Reddy.
Guest speaker New Zealand Police inspector Andrea McBeth shared how CELF has deepened her community insight and strengthened her leadership in the police.
Founding chair John Cook shared his reflections on CELF’s beginnings and its enduring vision when presenting a taonga to David Irving, in recognition of his years of dedication and service.
Law firm marks milestone
Hamilton’s oldest law firm Harkness Henry celebrated its 150th anniversary at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery last month. Leaving a legacy wasn’t necessarily what Clive Henry had planned to do, but a legacy he has left. And as the firm that boasts his name celebrates, the team continued the legacy of one of its named founders with 150 hours for 150 years. Volunteer time went Kids in Need Cambridge, Goldfields School Paeroa, and Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari. Photos: Ruth Gilmour
Harkness Henry partners Sarah Rawcliffe, left and Sandra Braithwaite, second right are long-term board members of True Colours Children’s Health Trust and are pictured with trust founder Cynthia Ward, left and chief executive Heidi Gleeson.
Paul Middlemiss, right, Harkness Henry’s longest-serving lawyer of 52 years with Brian Smith.
Greg Thomas, partner at Harkness Henry and wife Nami.
Juanita Davidson and Tania Jones from Harkness Henry.
All together now: Harkness Henry partners gather outside the museum, from left Alexandria Till, Jake Casey, Charlotte Muggeridge, Erica Quilter, Sandra Braithwaite, Sarah Rawcliffe, Matthew Peploe, Chad Danswan, Teresa Baird, Greg Thomas
Hamilton’s historic civic induction
Mayor Tim Macindoe and the council were officially sworn in at a ceremony in Civic Square last month. The event began with a poowhiri and mihi by Hamilton City Council’s kaumatua Tame Pokaia followed by the inaugural council meeting opened by chief executive Lance Vervoort. Macindoe welcomed new and returning councillors and outlined his vision for the triennium ahead. “My focus is on leading this council to create a financially strong city that delivers the basics well, relieves pressure on ratepayers, and continues to invest wisely in what makes Hamilton special and supports economic growth.” Photos: Mary Anne Gill
Once rivals in the House now together in council, former Hamilton MPs, new mayor Tim Macindoe and councillor Sue Moroney with Hamilton City Council governance lead Amy Viggers.
Rachel Karalus is the first councillor of Pacific descent in Hamilton’s history. Here pictured with her mother Peta Karalus and mayor Tim Macindoe before her induction.
Mayor Tim Macindoe watches on as new councillor Mesh Macdonald tells of how a woman in Pukete told her she would get her vote and that she hoped she felt the pressure of that.
Hamilton City Council staffers sing a waiata to greet the new mayor and councillors to Civic Square.
Your councillors, from left Mesh Macdonald, Sarah Thomson, Sue Moroney, Robbie Neha, Anna Casey-Cox (partially obscured, Jamie Strange, Angela O’Leary, Geoff Taylor, Leo Liu, Andrew Bydder, Graeme Mead.
More Out and Abouts
The team supporting endoscopic vein harvesting at Braemar. From left cardiothoracic surgeons David McCormack, Nishith Patel, and Registered Nurse First Surgical Assistant Kelsey Abercrombie and Braemar Associate Theatre Manager Daphne Van Dam
The 23rd Latin American and Spain Film Festival was held recently at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts in Hamilton. Pictured at the opening reception, from left: Waikato University Spanish tutor Maria Ble-Herrero, Argentina ambassador Maria Belen Bogado and Te Kura Toi School of Arts head Karen Barbour. Photo: Marcelo Mieres.
