Issue date
Dear Members
In today’s update I have news from the recent Annual General Meeting, an update on the Member Card and introduce you to our two new Board members, and two new Life Members.
Yachting New Zealand Annual General Meeting
The Yachting New Zealand 2015 Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 17th October in Auckland with good attendance from club representatives.
Firstly I wish to thank the Northcote Birkenhead Yacht Club for hosting the AGM. It was a great opportunity for everyone who attended to see what the club has achieved in creating a wonderful new facility at Birkenhead wharf. With strong connection to the community’s schools through Waterwise and an emphasis on coaching I applaud the effort going into growing the club with plenty of thought gone into future proofing.
Back to the AGM proceedings…. A robust discussion was had around a resolution put forward by the Plimmerton Boating Club relating to Yachting New Zealand’s membership model. The result was an overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the current method of affiliation in its entirety and without any amendments.
It’s important for me to reinforce that it is the Club that is a member of Yachting New Zealand, and that the new membership methodology was adopted after being voted in at the 2014 Annual General Meeting.
This year members reinforced the view that the new methodology had been agreed, and that time was needed for Yachting New Zealand and clubs to work through issues identified, such as family membership. Family membership as recommended by the Board for the 2015/2016 year be $44 plus GST for two members in a family and $55 plus GST for three or more members in a family.
The new system was recognised as being simple, easy to understand and fair; did not favour any one group over another, was transparent and has the ability to spread the load amongst members.
Any change would mean a significant increase in cost to the remaining members.
The new model has already opened up further sponsorship opportunities for Yachting New Zealand with additional benefits to members.
Member Card Update
Around 20 clubs are so far participating in the Member Card scheme and individual members of those clubs will receive their card soon, if it has not already arrived. The associated Yachting New Zealand mobile app has been launched and is available for anyone to download from your preferred app store. The exclusive discount offers available to card holders will be accessible via a secure login screen of the app – coming soon! These include special deals on hotels, fuel, travel and more.
The Member Card and app (with extra login rights) are available for affiliated clubs that agree to share their membership information with Yachting New Zealand (this will not be shared with any other organisation) and access to the extensive range of benefits is by using a unique Yachting New Zealand identification number.
If you are a member of an affiliated Club and you haven’t received a Member Card or heard about the scheme please contact your Club to encourage them to sign up as we will not be dealing with individual club member applications.
We understand that some clubs will require permission from their members to share their information and Yachting New Zealand will be working through this with you over the coming months.
New Board Members: Angus Haslett and Jenny de Lisle
I would like to welcome two new Board Directors in Angus Haslett and Jenny de Lisle.
Angus has a strong commercial background in the primary industry and is currently the Managing Director for CRV Oceania. However he grew up never far from the sea and lakes in New Zealand where water sports were a part of life.
His knowledge of sailing comes mainly through his two children, who went through the grass roots of learning to sail in optimists. As past President of the New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association Angus has been deeply involved with the management of the optimist class at club and national levels where building on creating sailors to develop a passion and respect for the sport was a major focus.
Jenny is a chartered accountant and since 1991 has been a Principal in an accountancy practice specialising in small businesses. The practice has a diverse range of interesting clients and for the past eleven years Jenny has been the Executive Secretary of the New Zealand Ice Cream Manufacturers’ Association.
Sailing is in Jenny’s blood as both her father and grandfather were active Wellington yachtsmen. Since the age of 5, summers have been spent cruising the magnificent Marlborough Sounds in the family launch. Married to a yachtie, Jenny has been heavily involved with both their children’s sailing which has meant a great deal of travelling around the country visiting many of the yacht clubs around New Zealand.
Jamie McDowell and Peter Dawson are stepping down from the Yachting New Zealand Board and I wish to thank them both sincerely for the enormous contribution they have made during their tenures.
Find out more about the Yachting New Zealand Board of Directors here.
New Life Members: Adrienne Greenwood and Jan Dawson
I am delighted to announce that in 2015 two women, Jan Dawson and Adrienne Greenwood, will be awarded Life Membership of Yachting New Zealand. Both passionate about yachting Adrienne and Jan have served in governance and management for Yachting New Zealand each accumulating years of contribution.
Adrienne is a well-known figure within the worldwide sailing community, a lifelong yachtie who along with her family has been involved in the sport from grassroots coaching, to club racing, cruising and high performance. Adrienne held a number of significant management and governance roles and was a member and volunteer at the Kohimarama Yacht Club for over 11 Years.
She was CEO of Yachting New Zealand for 14 years from 1986-2000 and now plays a major role within the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as a Vice President. Adrienne was a past Olympic Selector, National Judge and organiser of four successful Olympic trial events in New Zealand. From 1998-2008 Adrienne was a Member of the ISAF Events Committee & various working parties and, is a current Member of the World Youth Sailing Trust. She spent four years as Chair of the Women's Sailing Committee, and from 2000-2008 was on the ISAF Working Party on Women's Representation.
Adrienne was the driving force behind the organisation and successful running of three 470 World Championships and served with distinction on the New Zealand Sports Tribunal for eight years; the tribunal adjudicates on drug violations, selection disputes, general sports disputes and appeals across all sports, with members appointed by the Government.
In 2007 Adrienne was awarded an IOC Diploma for the promotion of women in sport and in 2008 was awarded the prestigious ISAF Gold Medal. In 2008 she received a Service Award from Yachting New Zealand and in 2013 in recognition of her contribution to sports she was awarded an ONZM for her services to sport.
Jan is a more than deserving recipient of being awarded Yachting New Zealand Life Membership. She was elected by the member clubs of Yachting New Zealand as Chairperson and President in 2007 and led the organisation through considerable change and with distinction for the seven years she was at the helm.
With her vision, attention to detail and tireless dedication to the sport, Yachting New Zealand now has a strong platform from which to build on over the coming years. Jan’s commitment to the administration of the sport of yachting is also matched by her on-water prowess as a competitive keelboat sailor; she has owned a number of boats and has several national titles to her name.
Jan has significant governance and management experience through previous board positions both commercial and not-for-profit and is involved with the Institute of Directors as a National Councillor. It was through this experience that Jan recognised the need for not-for-profit organisations such as Yachting New Zealand, to have a strong focus on the role of management and that of its directors.
An accomplished business woman and mother-of-two, Jan holds a number of roles with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) including Council Area Group L representative, Audit Committee Chair, and sits on both the Events Committee and Women’s Forum. She sits on the Yachting New Zealand Olympic Committee and the Audit Committee and continues to be passionate about promoting and boosting female participation on Boards and in the sport of sailing. As an elected representative on the ISAF Council and the various ISAF committees Jan is well placed to reflect the position of all sailors and member Nations of the Oceania Region for ISAF.
Jan began sailing from a very early age developing a lifelong love of the sport and remains an active member of the Milford Cruising Club and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Finally
Do take the time to look through Briefings newsletter when it hits your inbox – I am sure you will find some great reading to suit your area of interest in there. If you have a story you would like included send it through to Jodie our Briefings Editor on Jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
Sincerely
David Abercrombie
