Whitestone Contracting Ltd chairman of directors Donald Taylor is to retire after 17 years heading the Waitaki District Council-owned private company.
The council announced his decision yesterday and appointed a new director, Oamaru lawyer Michael de Buyzer.
The company's board will elect a new chairman at its next meeting.
Mr Taylor was elected chairman of directors when the company was formed in 1991 from the council's former works department.
Since then, the company has experienced significant changes and growth.
From a staff of 30 and annual turnover of about $3 million in 1991, the company now employs 160 staff and has an annual turnover of close to $20 million.
The growth of the company has resulted from initiatives which have included winning many large maintenance and construction contracts and the modernisation of the company's fleet to increase profitability.
The purchase of Mackenzie Contracting Ltd from the Mackenzie District Council, in 1998 and Contract Cultivation, in 2006, allowed the company to further expand into the Dunedin, Mackenzie and South Canterbury areas.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton expressed the district council's gratitude for Mr Taylor's lengthy and valuable service to the board.
"His commitment and contribution as chairman of the board has been a crucial factor in the company's success," he said.
Mr de Buyzer has lived and worked in the district for more than 20 years.
As a partner of Oamaru law firm Berry and Co, he brought to the board of Whitestone Contracting considerable business and commercial expertise, along with experience as a company director, Mr Familton said.
In addition to making a new appointment to Whitestone Contracting, the council also considered its trusteeship appointments to Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust.
It decided to retain the present trustees - Marcus Brown, Michael Bolstridge and Mr Familton - for a further term.
