Horowhenua businesses received several accolades in this year’s Electra Business and Innovation Awards, such as those for retail and innovation.
Horowhenua’s Business Hall of Fame has two new names on the roll of honour: Charlie and Chrissy Pedersen from Foxton. They were inducted by Mayor Bernie Wanden on Thursday during the gala evening for the annual
awards.
Charlie trained as a special needs teacher, but early on ventured into timber and farming, and from 2005-2009 his passion for farming meant he became president of Federated Farmers. He helped facilitate a 65,000-signature petition, drove a tractor and led a cow up the steps to Parliament in protest against plans to tax animal emissions. He was also vice-president of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers.
Chrissy trained as a radiographer, operating the first MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) system in Palmerston North Hospital and her involvement with the Primary Health Organisation (PHO) led to the setting up of the Himatangi clinic. Together they owned several farms, converting some from beef and sheep into dairy and even venturing into poultry.