At 29, Siobhan Storey will become financial controller for QRS. Photo / Supplied
At 29, Siobhan Storey will become financial controller for QRS. Photo / Supplied
As Quality Roading and Services farewells chief financial officer Karen Burger, most of the financial portfolio will now be picked up by a top-performing QRS staffer.
Finance administrator Siobhan Storey will take over a large amount of the financial strategy and reporting tasks previously managed by Burger who finishes thismonth to take on a new role at Thames-Coromandel District Council.
"I've been chief financial officer for 12 years and I'm proud of what myself and the company have achieved but it's time to hand over the baton to someone new," Burger said.
During her time she's moved up through the positions of payroll clerk, administration support, senior administration officer, office manager and finally to chief financial officer.
She's relished the changing dynamics at the company and the chance to work with three chief executives during that time.
"It's true, I have really enjoyed my time here, even the challenging times," the mother of two and pending first-time grandmother said.
With her imminent departure it's not just QRS that loses Burger and her commitment to the community.
She has been on the Board of Trustees at three schools most recently as chairwoman at Wairoa College, was chairwoman of Wairoa Horizon Trust and has been a sports administrator in various clubs over the years.
Chief executive Nigel Pollock said Burger was the cornerstone to a financial audit process overhaul in 2008 and was acting chief executive in 2016 when the company was part of a Local Government New Zealand functional review.
"Karen has those attributes in spades.
"Underlying it all was her desire to work for the betterment of Wairoa," he said.
"We'll miss her knowledge and experience, as well as her meticulous planning."
QRS board chairman Guy Gaddum says Burger has earned enormous respect from present and past directors for all that she's achieved for the company including her time as interim CEO in 2016.
"She stepped into the role at a time the company was struggling. She executed herself with integrity and helped us overcome obstacles, and then when QRS found its new CEO in Nigel, she stepped back across into her own position. I think that is the measure of her professionalism."
Storey comes with a strong background in learning and academic success.
At 18 she was dux of Sacred Heart College in Napier and since then earned a bachelor of arts in Māori resource management and most of her bachelor of laws.
With help from QRS she's now working towards a bachelor of business accounting to form the backbone qualification for her growing senior financial administrative role.
