The 59-year-old has held senior positions in the horse racing and gambling industries, most recently as chief operating officer of the Albion Park Harness Racing Club in Brisbane.
He was previously chief executive of the Waikato Racing Club and is a former director of the Northern Districts Cricket Association.
The right-hand batsman played for Otago from 1983 to 1995, in a career which also included 56 tests and 121 one-day internationals for New Zealand, captaining the side for three years.
He later moved to South Africa and played for Gauteng until 2000.
The 59-year-old, whose son Hamish last year finished his own career with Otago, told RNZ he was excited to take the job.
"I understand and I am excited by the great responsibility that comes with this role," he said.
"Thanks to the work of the current administration the game in the Northern Districts catchment has strong fundamentals in place.
"I want to ensure we build on this momentum so Northern Districts cricket continues to thrive - from local parks to our Association's biggest grounds".
Northern Districts chair Braedon Makgill said Rutherford "has a has a unique combination of a strong management skill set and a passion for the game of cricket...(and) is capable of building and evolving our strategic direction and working closely with our six District Associations".
- APL and RNZ
