New Look Board For Sport Hawke’s Bay

Sport Hawke’s Bay has appointed three new board members with a strong mix of commercial, management and marketing expertise.

Chartered accountant Mat Arcus, brewery general manager Chris Petersen and Ngāti Kahungunu Asset Holdings general manager Rawinia Lewis are new trustees, replacing Andrew (Butch) Castles, Brendan James, Carl Rowling and Aayden Clarke. Rawinia replaces Aayden as an iwi-appointed representative.

Sport Hawke’s Bay chairman Graeme Taylor said the new Trustees bring new energy to the regional sports trust. He adds that the trust is now regarded as one of the high achievers when it comes to exceeding Sport New Zealand’s gender diversity requirements.

“Sport Hawke’s Bay has led the way for some time in exceeding the ‘good governance expectations’ of 60/40 gender diversity, but now we are excelling with seven woman and just three men.”

Mat a director of business advisory firm Huddle Advisory, says two key focus areas for him are the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation and ensuring all children have opportunities to participate in sport and recreation.

“We are potentially moving into more difficult financial times that will have an impact on not only sport organisations but some families may also struggle to afford sport equipment and sport fees.

“We need to make sure that money isn’t a barrier to playing sport, as the positive benefits of sport are so far reaching.

Mat has been impressed by the Sport Hawke’s Bay’s broad role in the community and that the Trust isn’t just focused on sport, but also creating opportunities for people to be active as well as improving health outcomes.

Mat has had a long involvement in sport, particularly rugby at all levels – junior club, school and senior club. He is the current manager of the Havelock North Senior Rugby Team.

Rawinia Lewis has an extensive background in health and social development, having held senior policy and management roles in the public sector.

Rawinia currently works for the commercial arm of Ngāti Kahungunu, looking after the iwi’s interests in farming, fishing, forestry and property.

She is actively involved in netball as a player and is a trained yoga teacher.

Reflecting the Te Whare Tapa Wha model, Rawinia appreciates the positive benefits sports and physical activity can have on many aspects of a young person’s life - particularly young wāhine - having two daughters aged 12 and 14, who are involved in multiple sports.

“We need to promote the wide range of positive benefits of being active and ensuring that as well as sport being competitive, ultimately it’s about having fun and having a lifelong love of playing sport.

“Many young wāhine stop to participate in the mid teen age years, and it’s important that we create opportunities for them to continue to be active.

Chris recently returned with his young family to Hawke’s Bay after 18 years and is the general manager of Hawke’s Bay Brewing Co.

Chris said it had been a long standing desire to contribute back into the community, especially in sport and wellbeing.

“I have a young family and I want to make sure that my children and young people across the region have access to sport and physical recreation.

“I grew up here and we enjoyed being very active and I want to ensure that this generation and future generations also have opportunities to participate and enjoy the wide range of benefits sport and active recreation offer.”

The full Sport Hawke’s Bay Board is Graeme Taylor (chair), Naomi Fergusson (deputy chair), Heidi Beech (Chair of Risk and Audit Committee), Dionne Thomas, Lisa Pohatu, Susan Jacobs, Tania Karauria, Chris Petersen, Rawinia Lewis, Mat Arcus.

© Scoop Media