The Icehouse announces recipients of Scholarships

6 July 2015

The Icehouse announces recipients of Owner Manager Programme Scholarships

The Icehouse, a business growth hub, has selected 8 business owners from across the country to receive their Owner Manager Programme Scholarships for the 35th programme. These recipients will receive up to 25% of the cost of the programme.

Funded by Graham and Anne Catley founders of Stolthaven Australasia; Impact Capital Management; Bernie and Kaye Crosby from Prolife Foods; and The Icehouse, The Scholarship Programme is in its first year. It is designed to enable more owner-managers to attend The Icehouse Owner Manager Programme.

Recipients were selected from a multitude of industries including retail, business services, trade, agriculture, and education.

Criteria for the applications were $3m+ turnover with a significant opportunity and ambition for growth, and equity stake in and management control of the business. Special consideration was also given to under 35s, females, exporters and people from diverse groups.

Andy Hamilton, CEO of The Icehouse says choosing the 8 recipients was a very rewarding process as all applicants had such a worthy case. He’s now looking forward to seeing the impact the programme will have on them.

“Having worked with over 650 business owners through the Owner Manager Programme, we know the impact this programme will have on these owners and their businesses” he says.

“I’m not talking about revenue or FTE growth, I’m talking about the immeasurable impact. For some, it will be the time they get to step out of the business and work on their growth plans. For others, it will be the life-long relationships they build with other business owners and mentors on the programme. But for most, it will be the skills and knowledge they will develop to implement into the business long after the programme has finished”.

For one deserving recipient, Ngaire Mansfield, the scholarship and programme has come at a time when she could really do with a hand up.

"Without word of a lie, it would not have been possible to attend the programme without the scholarship since our growth is currently outstripping capital availability” she says.

“I now have time set aside to work on our growth strategy and improving my work-life balance. I’m also really looking forward to getting to know business owners who are in the same boat as me.”

With SMEs representing over a third of our economy, Andy Hamilton says supporting SME growth is essential for the growth of this country.

“We applaud our donors for their commitment to this scholarship programme but also to all the applicants, attendees and alumni of the Owner Manager Programme. Without you, The Icehouse wouldn’t be here and our vision of a high performing NZ economy wouldn’t exist” he says.

Scholarship applications for the Owner Manager Programme 36 are now open. To find out more go to www.theicehouse.co.nz/scholarship-fund.

35th Owner Manager Programme Scholarship Recipients:

BRENT McCONNELL

Stoney Creek

www.stoneycreek.co.nz

JENNI GIBLIN

Giblin Group

www.giblingroup.co.nz

NGAIRE MANSFIELD

Straight Flush Plumbing

www.straightflush.co.nz

MARK WRIGHT

Trucks and Trailers

www.trucksandtrailers.co.nz

NICK TOMBLESON

Tombleson Logging

LOGAN TAYLOR

Tomoana Warehousing

www.tomoanawarehousing.co.nz

KATIE PHILLIPPS

Provincial Childcare

www.provincialchildcare.co.nz

JOANNE EDWARDS

Kiwi Garden

www.kiwigarden.co.nz

ENDS

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