Rotary’s Highest Award Presented by International President

Rotary International’s highest honour has been awarded to a Rotarian in the lower North Island for the first time in 21 years.

Pat Waite of Tawa Rotary was awarded Rotary’s Service Above Self Award by Rotary International President Ian Riseley in Feilding on Tuesday, 6 March. President Riseley was in Feilding to recognise 75 years of service by the Rotary Clubs of Hutt City, Marton, Pahiatua and Stratford.

Pat Waite, QSM, JP, and his wife Melva are originally from Taranaki but have lived in Tawa and Porirua for many years.

Waite had a long career in the banking industry and has held several high profile positions in the business and charitable sectors, helping many organisations succeed over a long period of time.

He is currently Interim Chief Executive of New Zealand Land Search & Rescue and Chair of Diabetes New Zealand. For many years he has used his time to help Rotary and other organisations who are serving New Zealand communities and who need his governance, financial and practical knowledge and skills to achieve their goals.

As Rotary District 9940 Governor in 2007/08, Pat set up a Taskforce on Family Violence that focused on connecting Rotary with government organisations to address the serious problem of domestic violence in New Zealand.

He has played many roles in Rotary at the international, regional, national, district and club levels.

In 2012 Pat was awarded the Queens Service Medal for services to the community.

Background

Service Above Self Award

This is Rotary’s highest honour which recognises Rotarians who demonstrate Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self, by volunteering their time and talents to help others.

The only two previous recipients of the Service above Self Award were the late Sir Roy McKenzie of the Rotary Club of Wellington, in 1996, and the late Ray Harriss of the Rotary Club of Tawa, in 1997.

Rotary District 9940 covers the lower North Island.

This award is internationally competitive and is granted to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide, and no more than one from each district, each year.

Patrick Waite

Pat is currently Interim Chief Executive (CE) of New Zealand Land Search & Rescue Inc. and has previously served as Interim CE for various organisations, including Surf Life Saving NZ and the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust. He is a Justice of the Peace fulfilling both ministerial and judicial duties.

Pat has helped a wide range of groups, providing financial oversight and governance skills as well as practical help. His roles have included:

• Chair of the Mary Potter Hospice Foundation;

• Chair of the Skylight Trust which provides specialised grief support;

• Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand;

• Member of the Board of Administration of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington;

• Member of the inaugural Development Board for Wellington Stadium;

• Trustee of Capital Theatre Productions;

• Member of the St James Theatre Trust; and

• Chair of Diabetes New Zealand and has led search and rescue and surf lifesaving organisations.

He provides support to a number of community organizations in various trustee roles and has undertaken several strategic and organisational reviews for community and social services organisations.

He represented New Zealand at the International Conference on Business Ethics and Social Responsibility held at the Vatican City in 2004.

As Rotary District 9940 Governor in 2007/08, Pat set up a Taskforce on Family Violence that focused on connecting Rotary with government organisations to address the serious problem of domestic violence in New Zealand.

He has played many roles in Rotary at the international, regional, national, district and Club levels.

In 2012 he was awarded the Queens Service Medal for services to the community.

Rotary International

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

There are over 1.2 million men and women Rotarians in 220 countries. In New Zealand there are about 7,700 Rotarians in 223 Clubs.

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