Got business news? Email carmen.hall@nzme.co.nz or zoe.hunter@nzme.co.nz Photo / Getty Images
2022 winners selected for the Page/Acorn Engineering Scholarship
The Acorn Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2022 Page/Acorn Engineering
Scholarship.
The winners were Brad Matthews from Robert Page Engineering in Judea, Cameron McGuffie from Contract Mechanical Services in Pyes Pā, Jordan Stacey from Page Macrae Engineering in Te Puke, Jamie Sutherland from Impact Engineering in Pāpāmoa Beach.
The recipients were presented with their awards at an event at Robert Page Engineering on May 26.
The scholarships are awarded annually to second-year apprentices at local engineering
firms, thanks to local Acorn donors Bob and Pat Page.
Recipients and their respective workplaces will receive funding for two years to assist with expenses and equipment.
Due to last year's event being cancelled because of Covid-19, 2021 recipient Omri Cook of Gamminco was also presented his award certificate at Thursday's event.
The Page/Acorn Engineering Scholarship was established in 2008 by the late Bob and Pat Page to reward and encourage apprentices who go above and beyond expectations.
Since then, more than 60 apprentices and their workplaces across the Western Bay of Plenty have received support.
Bob Page co-founded local firm Page and Macrae Engineering in 1953 and was passionate about seeing young people succeed.
Acorn Foundation chief executive Lori Luke said his legacy lives on through this scholarship.
"Every year it is an absolute privilege for us to award these scholarships. Bob and Pat Page left a valuable, lasting gift to our community, and they would be delighted to know that their fund continues to support deserving local engineering apprentices."
Speaking at the event was Grace Lowe, who was the first female recipient of the Page Acorn Scholarship in 2018.
Lowe, who completed her apprenticeship at Page Macrae Engineering in November 2021, said the scholarship helped her pay for the tools and safety equipment she needed to get started, as well as additional training to improve her skills.
Lowe is the first female to have completed the Page Macrae Engineering apprentice programme, breaking the mould in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
"We are very proud of Grace and what she has achieved. We know that mechanical engineering is a predominantly male-dominated industry," a Page Macrae Engineering spokesperson said.
"We are proud to be a part of the change to a sustainable future, encouraging women to take up engineering and providing them with apprenticeships to do so.
"We would like to express our ongoing gratitude to the Acorn Foundation, and of course to donors Bob and Pat Page, for their invaluable support of local apprentices."
Brothers-in-law to go head-to-head in FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final
With 100kg of bricks stacked on top of a homemade sled, hurriedly built out of a pallet, brothers-in-law Chris Poole and Tim Dangen take off in a timed race.
As 2022 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Finalists, it was part of their preparation – all under the watchful eye of Emma Poole, nee Dangen.
The pair will go head-to-head in July representing their regions – Waikato Bay of Plenty for Chris Poole, 28, and Northern for Tim Dangen, 30.
Emma herself was a 2019 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Finalist and wants to make sure both her big brother and husband are prepared for the gruelling three-day event in July.
"It was hilarious watching them go against each other. Tim looks a lot more physical and stronger than Chris but I saw Chris motor past him while they were doing the running and Tim looking out the corner of his eye thinking 'what the hell'," she laughed.
Emma reckons the pair are competing 'with' each other, rather than 'against' each other.
"They seem to be helping each other out a lot. Hopefully that'll be an advantage to them doing it together, rather than doing it separately," she said.
Chris agreed, saying the pair have been sharing study notes and giving each other advice where they can.
"We are not just brothers-in-law, we are really good mates. It makes it a bit more fun than it usually would be," he said.
"Regardless of the result, we'll both be happy for whoever comes out on top and it will be pretty fun doing it together."
Despite the jokes of sabotage from Dangen, he hopes one of them will give it a good nudge and take out the FMG Young Farmer of the Year title.
"It is going to be fun, I am excited to be competing with Chris. We will push each other, I know that, but at the end of the day I will be just as happy if he won, to myself winning," Dangen said.
"The competition deserves respect in itself - when you look at past champions you want to be able to stack yourself up against them in the knowledge that you've tried as hard as you can."
Student Brylee Comer to attend Aspiring Leaders Forum
Former Graeme Dingle Foundation student Brylee Comer has been selected to attend the Aspiring Leaders Forum at Parliament next month.
Comer is an agent of social change, a youth group facilitator, and a Victoria University student.
But Comer's journey has not always been smooth sailing, and she credits Graeme Dingle
Foundation's Project K for turning her life around.
"Throughout high school, I was described as shy, introverted and quiet. I was never
outgoing, and I didn't apply myself in any extracurricular activities," she said.
In year 10, Comer took part in Project K run by the Graeme Dingle Foundation.
"Since then, I have become more involved with my community and the people around me.
"The people I met throughout these experiences really helped, the mentors and friends I gained who I still keep in contact with to this day."
The Foundation's Project K is a 14-month programme for Year 10 students with three
components: A Wilderness Adventure, Community Challenge and Mentoring.
The programmes' Wilderness Adventure breaks down barriers challenging a student's
physical and mental ability.
Through the community challenge, students think about what their community needs for the future and undertake a project, while the mentoring component sees participants peered with a personal mentor for a minimum of 12 months.
Comer's list of achievements since Project K and her attitude were why she has been selected to attend the Aspiring Leaders Forum.
"Because of my experiences and seeing first-hand the way these programmes helped
me to grow into the person I am today. I love to give back through volunteering and
being an agent of social change as a facilitator and leader in these programmes.
"Being able to see young people influenced by the same things that helped me is the most rewarding experience I have had. I went on to facilitate Youth Groups and take
leadership opportunities when they arose and received awards I had never thought I
was capable of even being nominated for."
The forum will support Comer's passion for social change and will be held at New Zealand's parliament buildings.
"My current goal is to gain a career with a ministry or in government. Making change
and working on current policies would be an incredible experience that I would love to
be a part of.
"I simply want to jump headfirst into everything that the Forum has on offer and get as
much out of it as I possibly can within those three days."
She credits her success to date to Dan Allan-Gordon, Graeme Dingle Foundation
Western Bay of Plenty manager, who has been a significant role model in her life.
"He was the one who really pushed me to achieve more and inspired me to get more
involved within the Graeme Dingle Foundation. It led to more doors opening for me that I could never have imagined before.
"He is so passionate and wants to see students grow - I think that is truly
inspiring."
Head of Mission diplomats experience 'taste of the Bay' during local showcase tour
As New Zealand's international borders begin to open, this week's foreign Heads of Mission diplomat tour of Tauranga came at a crucial time for the region, highlighting local trade and investment opportunities.
The delegation – consisting of New Zealand and Australian-based Heads of Mission, Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 37 countries – was one of the largest domestic delegations of foreign diplomats to visit New Zealand in recent history.
Led by Priority One (the Western Bay of Plenty's economic development agency) on behalf of Tauranga City Council and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the tour provided a key opportunity for the Bay of Plenty (and Aotearoa) to reconnect to the rest of the world.
Nigel Tutt, Priority One chief executive, said hosting the diplomats was invaluable for enhancing important international relationships and proactively re-engaging with overseas markets.
"Tauranga has become a key economic hub in the upper North Island and is home to New Zealand's largest port, allowing connectivity to the rest of the world.
"The visit couldn't come at a better time, particularly after a period of disruption and closed international borders. We are proud to showcase the fantastic export companies we have in our region, to the world."
During the visit, the delegation visited a variety of local businesses and experienced the region's Māori culture, innovation, education, trade, tourism and local cuisine.
Anne Tolley, Tauranga City Commission chairwoman, said the rare opportunity to host the diplomats in the region allows the city to showcase its best assets, as well as the trade and investment opportunities on offer.
"Tauranga is New Zealand's fastest-growing city, which is a testament to our wonderful
environment, climate and lifestyle. The area is rich in culture, is a centre of innovation and logistics and is home to horticultural excellence and productive fisheries.
"As a result of the visit, we hope new trade relationships will open up, which will strengthen our ties with these countries and create lasting partnerships to be valued and fostered by all."
During the tour of New Zealand, the delegation will also visit Hamilton.
Fonterra announces share buyback programme
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited (Fonterra) will allocate up to $50 million to an on-market share buyback programme starting June 30 this year.
Chairman Peter McBride said Fonterra has looked at prevailing prices in the Fonterra Shareholders Market (FSM) alongside the Co-op's strategy and overall business performance.
"The Co-op considers the prevailing price particularly since late April has undervalued Fonterra shares, which is a key reason for announcing this buy-back," he said.
The buyback programme will be made under section 65 of the Companies Act and may run for up to 12 months. Fonterra may acquire shares through the FSM at the prevailing market price from time to time in that period.
This programme is separate from the allocation of up to $300m Fonterra announced last year to support liquidity in the FSM as farmer shareholders transition to the Flexible Shareholding capital structure, through an on-market buyback (Transitional Buyback) and other tools such as the market-making arrangements.
McBride said Fonterra was preparing to implement the Flexible Shareholding structure as soon as possible but has not yet set a date for when it will be effective. In April, the Government announced its support for the structure and has signalled it expects the amendments to progress through Parliament this year.
"We remind shareholders that even though share compliance obligations remain on hold until at least six months after the new structure is effective, shareholders can still buy or sell shares within Fonterra's current constitutional limits.
"Shareholders should seek advice from their financial advisor, accountant, lawyer or rural professional before making any decisions."
The maximum number of shares that may be acquired pursuant to this buyback programme and the Transitional Buyback (should that also proceed under section 65 of the Companies Act) taken together over the next 12 months is 80,667,893 shares.
This number of shares is set in accordance with section 65 of the Companies Act and represents five per cent of Fonterra's shares on issue 12 months prior to the acquisition of shares.
The number of shares purchased under the buyback from time to time, and the average price, will be notified to the NZX and ASX on the business day following the date on which those shares are bought back. Shares bought back will be cancelled upon acquisition, so the number of shares on issue will reduce accordingly.
Throughout the buyback period, Fonterra will continue to assess market conditions, its prevailing share price, available investment opportunities and all other relevant considerations. Fonterra reserves the right to suspend without notice or terminate the buyback programme at any time.
The buyback programme will not run during the black-out period in respect of Fonterra's 2022 annual results, which will run from August 1, 2022, until the first trading day after the Fonterra annual results announcement is made, unless Fonterra agrees other arrangements with the brokers who will execute the buyback.
This announcement is made in accordance with FSM Listing Rule 3.12.2.
What happens when you come face to face with a heavy truck on a single-lane gravel track?