New TEI Council members appointed

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced 20 appointments to 13 tertiary education institution councils, which include two new council members.

“I am pleased to welcome these high-calibre council appointees into their new roles and to welcome the reappointment of a number of council members in recognition of the high-quality governance they have been providing to these institutions,” Mr Joyce says.

“I also wish to recognise the valuable contribution made by outgoing council members and to thank them for their service.”

The appointments and reappointments of council members are:

• Massey University: reappointment of Mr Michael Ahie as a member

• Eastern Institute of Technology: reappointment of Mr David Pearson as a member and as Chair

• Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology: reappointment of Ms Elizabeth Hopkins as a member and as Deputy Chair

• Northland Polytechnic: reappointment of Mr Erima Henare as a member and Deputy Chair and Mr Warren Moyes as a member

• Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki: reappointment of Mr Sriyan Elanga Ekanayake as a member

• Waiariki Institute of Technology: reappointment of Mr Graeme Nahkies as a member and as Chair

• Otago Polytechnic: reappointment of Ms Kathy Grant as a member and as Chair and Ms Gillian Bremner as a member

• Bay of Plenty Polytechnic: reappointment of Mr Ian Turner as a member and as Chair and Dr Neil Barns as a member and as Deputy Chair

• Waikato Institute of Technology: reappointment of Mrs Mary Cave-Palmer as a member and as Chair and the new appointment of Mr Steve Howse as a member and as Deputy Chair

• Open Polytechnic: new appointment of Mr Murray Bain as Chair (he is already a member) and the new appointment of Mr Vaughan Renner as a member and as Deputy Chair

• Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology: reappointment of Mr Paul Steere as a member

• Southern Institute of Technology: reappointment of Mr Peter Heenan as a member and as Deputy Chair and Mr Tim Ward as a member

• Tai Poutini Polytechnic: reappoint Mr John Clayton as a member and as Deputy Chair and Mr Barry Jones as a member.

Massey University

Mr Michael Ahie is the elected Pro Chancellor of Massey University and is being reappointed as a council member after serving a relatively short “casual” term to fill a vacancy. Of Taranaki, Nga Ruahine and Ngāti Ruanui descent, Mr Ahie holds a first-class honours degree from Massey University. He is the CEO of AltusQ New Zealand Ltd and has significant business and governance experience in New Zealand and with multinational corporations. Mr Ahie has specific expertise in, and a passion for, the primary industries, Māori business, science and innovation.

Open Polytechnic

Mr Murray Bain, the present Deputy Chair, will be the new Chair of the Open Polytechnic council when Mr Graeme Hall’s term of appointment expires on 30 April 2014. Mr Bain was appointed as Deputy Chair in 2013 and is the former Chief Executive of the Ministry of Science and Innovation. He has substantial experience as a senior executive and in governance.

Mr Vaughan Renner has been appointed as a member and Deputy Chair of the Open Polytechnic council. Mr Renner is a consultant with Westlake Governance and has strong commercial, strategic planning and information technology skills. He gained an MBA from Massey University and, in his executive leadership career, demonstrated strengths in solving complex problems in a pragmatic way and in defining and leading change. Mr Renner is Deputy Chair of the WelTec Whitireia combined council, where he has been a member since 2012.

Waikato Institute of Technology

Mr Steve Howse has been appointed as a member and Deputy Chair. Mr Howse has held senior executive positions in science and agribusiness organisations, where he has developed a reputation for his people-oriented leadership skills. He has also been a director of Synlait Farms Ltd, a Canterbury corporate dairy farming business, since 2011. His track record of success was acknowledged when he was selected as Leader of the Year in the Westpac Waikato Business Excellence Awards in 2010.