Honoured as fight for life begins

Scarcely three weeks after the shock of being diagnosed with colon cancer, Jon Mayson has been honoured by being made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Not even Mr Mayson _ who has just retired as Port of Tauranga's chief executive _ knew he had cancer when he was invited to accept the award that reflected his unswerving zest for life and commitment to excellence.
The cancer discovery has lent a special poignancy to the honour, which recognised his services to the shipping industry and export.
"It's been an emotional rollercoaster," Mr Mayson told the Bay of Plenty Times.
With characteristic resolve, the only way is forward for a man who spent nine years at the helm of the port during an exciting and innovative period of growth.
Farewelled from his job on December 6, he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon on December 9, and six days later underwent surgery to have his large intestine removed.
Now 10kg lighter, Mr Mayson says it was not a weight loss method he would recommend but it's been a lesson to value life for every moment it offers.
Not that his track record suggests he was ever a slouch.
Mr Mayson, 60, has accumulated an unparalleled knowledge of the shipping industry by working his way up the hard way _ starting when he went to sea aged 16.
He came ashore in Tauranga in 1972, and worked for the late Bob Owens' stevedoring operation before joining the old harbour board, later the port company. He progressed to tugmaster, pilot, port operations manager and then chief executive.
The citation accompanying his award from Government House has recognised the enormous developments in the port's cargo handling capacity since Mr Mayson took over in 1997.
"Under his guidance, Tauranga has become New Zealand's largest export port, with revenue growing by over $100 million between 1997 and 2005."
Container volumes rose from 70,000 to 440,000 over the same period, with Tauranga's bold move to establish the country's first inland port, MetroPort in Auckland, changing the face of ports forever.
Personally honoured for his outstanding contribution to shipping industry's logistics and supply chain, the port was last year judged Australasian Port of the Year. In June this year, Mr Mayson was presented with the Taura Award for services to exporting, followed in October by his election as president of Export New Zealand.
But this new responsibility, together with his directorships of the Port of Marlborough and NorthPort, must take second place until he has defeated the cancer.
Chemotherapy starts next month and emerging out the other end with the cancer in remission will be his total focus.
"I will beat it. Like everything else I have ever done, failure is not in my lexicon. It is a slight glitch in life's journey."
And a fascinating journey it has been so far _ job aside.
Photos dot the walls of his Mount Maunganui home taken during the time he navigated the Endeavour replica during its re-enactment of Captain James Cook's voyage of discovery around New Zealand. His charming and tasteful chalet-styled family pole house, which he designed himself in 1978, seems to typify the spirit of a man who was once a member of the Values Party.
People sometimes remarked why he was still in his old house when his job suggested a multi-million dollar mansion on the beachfront.
"I have no desire to move. We don't hanker after material things _ we have an abundance of wealth in all other things."
It is an attitude that carries through to him hardly ever wearing a suit and tie to work.
"We did not ponce around in suits like Queen Street lawyers ... despite appearances that we were not serious about ourselves, we were very serious about what we did."
The port's record speaks for itself, becoming a blue chip company and the best performer on the New Zealand Stock Exchange for creating wealth.
"The things that are important are integrity, having values, and walking the talk."
He paid a huge tribute to everyone at the port and the support of his family. "I have had a hell of a lot of fun _ Tauranga is a great city."