Rick Bettle Apppointed Chairman Of
Dominion Finance Group

Rick Bettle, the former chief executive of South Island based meat processor Alliance Group, is joining the board of Dominion Finance Group.

Mr Bettle will chair the fast growing finance company which recently celebrated 50 years in business.

Dominion has more than $110 million dollars under management.

The company provides tailor-made funding for a wide range of projects including new home construction, property development, manufacturing and the rural sector.

Dominion’s chief executive Terry Butler welcomed Mr Bettle’s appointment.

“Rick will bring a wealth of experience to the company from his time as chairman of Wrightson Finance and as a director of Allied Farmers Finance.”

“As a company we have grown considerably in recent years. Having someone of Rick’s calibre will greatly assist us as we move forward.”

Since leaving Alliance Group in 1995, Rick Bettle has been chief executive of the law firm Kensington Swan and chaired the TAB for eight years and the Racing Industry Board for four. He is a fellow and vice president of the Institute of Directors.

Mr Bettle has also been chairman of Southland Health and Capital Coast Health.

“This is an opportunity to rejoin the finance sector with which I’ve had a close association over the years,” Mr Bettle says.

“Terry and Ann Butler have built a solid business with a strong track record. They are straightforward in the way they operate with clear lines of accountability and a transparent open system. I’m looking forward to leading Dominion Finance through the next stage of its development.”

Rick Bettle currently holds a number of other directorships of public listed companies including Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, Southport Ltd, Macquarie Goodman NZ and Restaurant Brands NZ Ltd.

Even though the economy shows signs of slowing, Dominion Finance Group is receiving more lending propositions than it can resource.

“One of the tasks for the new board will be to look at all the options to fund our growth,” Terry Butler says.

Till now the company has relied on a mixture of debentures and bank funding to support its lending portfolio.

Dominion Finance further strengthened its board with the recent appointment of Vance Arkinstall as a director. Mr Arkinstall is a former banker and currently chief executive of the Investment Savings and Insurance Association.

Also on the board are Auckland chartered accountant Paul Forsyth, lawyer Barry Whale and co-owner Ann Butler.

Terry and Ann Butler bought Dominion Finance from the Fletcher Challenge Group in 1987.

ENDS

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