Neil Walker – Independent Chairperson
Neil is the director of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, the chair of Manuka Research Partnerships Ltd, and is a sixth-term Taranaki Regional Councillor. He is currently in the process of developing a large scale manuka centre in Taranaki.
Neil is a Justice of the Peace and an RMA Hearings Commissioner with full accreditation, and understands the processes of getting agreement and achieving natural justice. Having a coherent and successful apiculture industry with successful operators dovetails with his Primary Growth Partnership roles and fits in with his strong personal commitment to make the back country of New Zealand as successful and prosperous as the dairy industry.
Bryan King
Bryan is a self-employed mediator/arbitrator/barrister. He has extensive governance experience in specific industry governance bodies in which issues about the boundaries between collaboration and competition, different needs of different industry players, coordination of lobbying, and infrastructure development, often arise.
Bryan is a hobbyist beekeeper with a longstanding interest in apiculture, sparked by family members’ involvement in beekeeping. He has the impression that supporting collaboration in areas where all industry players will benefit, and where those players are accustomed to and proud of their independence, will raise some really interesting questions and challenges for the Board.
Christopher Stuckey
Christopher, who is currently Sales and Exports Manager at Waitemata Honey Co Ltd, is a relatively new member of the apiculture industry, and is passionate about establishing a long term career in the industry. Christopher has theoretical knowledge of management processes, as well as practical experience from running the extracting plant for a season and from being the senior worker in the packing plant.
He would like to see a strong, united industry capable of facing current challenges head on, as he believes that New Zealand honey is a great product, and that beekeeping provides many benefits to the community in terms of pollination and sustainability.
Dave Wrathall
Dave is the Managing Director of Ecrotek Ltd, a recently formed company as a result of a merger of Ecroyd Beekeeping Supplies and Beetek Ltd. Dave brings a level of commercial insight and critical thinking to the board, based on over 30 successful years in business across a variety of industries. Dave's core competence is sales, marketing and business strategy, and therefore brings a focus on "value to the customer" to the interim board.
Dave entered the industry in early 2013, and sees an industry which is ready for further maturation and professionalism. He believes it’s important that the industry continues to grow in a healthy and well-governed manner, as it represents an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the New Zealand economy.
Dennis Crowley
Dennis is currently vice president of the National Beekeepers Association, and was also a member of the industry unification Interim Working Group. Dennis has been a commercial beekeeper since 1997. He has developed good relationships within the kiwifruit industry around pollination and how beekeepers and growers can help each other out.
Dennis has been a long-time advocate for industry unification, and believes the board can design a model that will see the apiculture industry move forward for the next 100 years.
John Hartnell
John has a forty year involvement in apiculture, including beekeeping, domestic and export packing, export development and sales. Since 1990, his business, Hartnell & Associates Ltd., has been solely export driven.
He is currently Chair of the Federated Farmers Bee Industry Group, and was a FF National Board Member from 2007-2011, responsible for Biosecurity, Food Safety and GMO portfolios, and the NAIT Stakeholder Governance Board. John also works as a consultant to small/medium sized industry on business governance, staff management and future direction.
He believes that as the industry steps forward, it will be paramount that the structure, constitution and rules of engagement for industry are clearly defined, modern, and form a strong platform from which future generations can prosper and grow.
Kim Poynter
Kim is a Registered Nurse and an owner operator of retirement villages and rest homes for 28 years. She has held governance positions in both public and private health, and runs a consultant services business within the aged care industry, covering structure, operations, financial and quality management.
Kim is also a hobbyist beekeeper, has completed the Certificate in Apiculture, and is the President of the Rotorua Honey Bee club. Beekeeping is Kim’s hobby and passion. She believes having quality education and support available to hobbyists is essential, and that as the majority of registered beekeepers are hobbyists, the emphasis on meeting those needs within the wider industry must not be underestimated.
Moira Haddrell
Moira owns and operates Cambridge Bee Products Ltd with her husband, operating 3250 hives and selling their products in the export market. Prior to this, Moira was a primary school teacher from 1987 – 1995.
Moira has a skill set that will assist with the unification through being involved in all aspects of the beekeeping industry. She has also been involved in governance roles within the beekeeping industry on the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association, and the working groups with the Manuka honey industry.
Moira is keen to see the Beekeeping industry become one of the best primary industries in New Zealand.
Peter Luxton
Peter is the Independent Chairperson of the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association (UMFHA). He has extensive experience in primary based industries, domestic and internationally based. This includes senior executive roles and multiple governance roles, including with pan-industry organisations.
He was a senior executive within Zespri, including while the industry transitioned from a multi exporter to a single desk moel. Peter is currently a government appointee on the NZ Horticulture Export Authority (HEA).
Peter has gained first-hand knowledge of the honey industry in his previous role as Independent Commissioner in the UMFHA from 2011-14, and in his current role.
Ricki Leahy
Ricki is a commercial beekeeper successfully producing honey in the Buller Region of the South Island. His company produces honeydew, multi floral bush honey and some Manuka. They raise most of their own queens and migrate their bees from the coast through to the high country.
Ricki sees how the industry was held back from moving forward on several key issues by simply not being able to speak with a single united voice, and is therefore keen to see the apiculture industry united, and the benefits that unification will bring.
Ricki is currently the President of the National Beekeepers Association. As President he has taken the opportunity to build on the efforts of the two previous presidents by progressing industry unification. One significant advancement was the instigation of a united industry conference, and the other was the formation of the BIAC with its accompanying MOU which has provided the initial framework to work together.
Sean Goodwin
Sean is the Chief Executive of 100% Pure New Zealand Honey Ltd. Sean has been a member of the GS1 New Zealand Board for the past four years, representing the food and grocery sector. In this role, Sean provides governance and strategic direction for the executive team.
He brings a mix of large multinational and small, privately owned commercial experience, as well as experience with financial reporting, governance and interaction with government agencies, not-for-profit and community based boards. Sean is passionate about NZ business and the potential for an innovation led future. Sean and his company believe a unified industry body is necessary to develop governance and processes required to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability.
Tony Wright
Tony is the General Manager Technical of Comvita, the only NZX listed company with a focus on bee products. Tony has eight years of experience within Comvita, working in areas of quality assurance, laboratory management, regulatory affairs, product development, innovation, research and marketing.
As a member of the senior management team, Tony also has a broader role across the business and has represented Comvita on the UMFHA executive for several years. Tony is the main contact point for interaction with MPI and industry matters. He is also a member of the Bee Products Standards Council.