Dr Warren Parker who was the current chairman of Pāmu - Landcorp died suddenly on December 29, aged 68.
Parker had an outstanding academic career and was heavily involved at the highest levels of primary sector governance, being actively involved in both the private and public sectors.
Among his roles was the current chairmanship of Pāmu. He was a former chief executive of Scion (the Forest Research Institute) and Land Care Research and previously chief operating officer of Ag Research. He also held board roles on Genomics Aotearoa, Farmlands Co-operative Society, Predator Free 2050 and was chair of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group. He was also chair of the NZ Conservation Authority and recently appointed independent chair of Quayside Holdings.
He had a PhD in animal science and was previously a professor of Agribusiness and Resource Management at Massey University, where he spent 18 years in various roles including supervising the 9000 SU Riverside Farm in Wairarapa.
What wasn’t widely known, were his very humble beginnings in Northland. Parker was born in the small Northland farming settlement of Tutamoe. He was the second of five boys born to Tom and Dawn Parker.