YESTERDAY marked the anniversary of the beginning of the Air Chathams service between Whanganui and Auckland.
It does seem like the year has flashed by and that the service has always been in place.
There are only little differences between Air Chathams and the service that preceded it -- but they do go a long way.
The plunger coffee, the TimTams and the friendlier service all keep me coming back. Next week I will be in Auckland for a board meeting and I won't waste an additional hour "travelling south to fly north". I will also, more importantly, be supporting the local airport facility.
Last Friday it was great to see the airport chock-full of people when I disembarked.
So congratulations to Air Chathams and Emeny family for achieving this important landmark, but more so for becoming a part of the community's social and business fabric.
I had the pleasure of flying last week, because I attended the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame celebration sponsored by Young Enterprise and held at Auckland's Langham Hotel.
Last Thursday night was a special occasion for laureates, their families and our region in particular -- two of the Hall of Fame inductees had deep links to Whanganui and its surrounds.
It was fantastic to see Pam Williams join the Hall of Fame, not only because of her family's contribution to Whanganui through Wanganui Trawlers and Wanganui Seafoods but also through philanthropy.
Pam Williams
Each inductee was interviewed by Michael Barnett, chief executive of the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and I found the interview with Mrs Williams fascinating, particularly the insight into the establishment of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone and its impact on commercial fishing and international relations.
Congratulations to Pam and family.
The second laureate with connections to Whanganui was Mavis Mullins, who is involved in a number of governance roles, which include the chair of Atihau Whanganui Incorporation, Poutama Trust and involvement with well-known innovators like 2Degrees.
Mavis Mullins
Following on from achieving an MBA degree through Massey University, the Mullins' family business, Paewai Mullins Shearing, was the first in its industry to achieve ISO 9002 accreditation, and this was a world first in this sector.
During her interview, Mavis spoke of her inquisitiveness and how that supported her in the roles that she had undertaken.
I always emerge from conversations with her realising that I have learnt new things, challenged my thinking and actually gotten better at what I do.
Many people talk about Mavis Mullins bringing this contribution to their organisations, boards and themselves as people. Congratulations to Mavis and her whanau.
The one thing which struck me at the end of the night was the breadth of each laureate's contribution to their community.
The night ended with an address from a student who has benefited from the support of Young Enterprise. Young Enterprise are such amazing contributors to the next generation of business leaders and the speech illustrated that the laureates have blazed a trail, but the future will be in good hands.
Balance Consulting is a Whanganui consultancy specialising in business strategy, process excellence and leadership mentoring -- contact Russell Bell on 021 2442421 or John Taylor on 027 4995872.
