Trust strong, new chairman says

Tony Hill.
Tony Hill.
New Central Lakes Trust chairman Tony Hill says the trust is in a ''very strong position'' to continue to fund community projects.

The first-term trustee was elected to the trust last year and appointed to the new position this week.

He is a first-term Queenstown Lakes District councillor and self-employed property and project manager.

His position on the council would not be a conflict of interest, he said.

''In these small communities everyone has conflicts, and I've learned to manage them very well.''

He was ''humbled'' by the support of the trustees.

''I've been here for 40 years and am very proud of what the trust has done.''

The trust was in a ''very strong position'', he said.

''This is one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand and consequently there are several exciting challenges ahead for the trust to get involved in''.

He only recently started in the new role and said he was not yet familiar with proposed Electricity Authority reforms which could threaten Pioneer Energy, which the trust owns.

Mr Hill is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors, and during his time in Queenstown has been involved in hospitality, tourism, aviation, health and education, either in a senior management role or as a director.

He was a co-founding board member of the Queenstown Resort College, chairman of Queenstown Lakes District Council subsidiary Lakes Environmental and the Wakatipu Primary Health Organisation, and a trustee of the Southern Primary Health Organisation.

Outgoing chairman Malcolm Macpherson said Mr Hill was well qualified for the job.

''We've been thinking about succession a lot recently, and with this being my last term, Tony's election is timely. I'm looking forward to working with him, in what promises to be a very interesting three years for the trust.''

Third-term trustee Bernie Lepper was appointed deputy chairwoman.

The trust has assets totalling more than $330 million and is the largest philanthropic trust per capita in the southern hemisphere.

It has given $90 million to community projects since it was established in 2000.

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