Born in Denmark, I emigrated to New Zealand as a 14-year old in 1978 with my family—my father was a vet in the freezing works and my mother a nurse. With my schooling completed at Karamu High School in Hastings and Wairoa College in northern Hawke’s Bay, I went on to complete a B.Sc. from Massey University and M.Soc.Sci. from the University of Waikato and then made New Zealand my home - including becoming a NZ citizen in 1996.
I started my career in Human Resources for Natural Gas Corporation in the early nineties based in New Plymouth and then in Hamilton with Natural Gas Waikato—and in 1994 married Susan, whom I first met at Massey University. After some time working in Gisborne at the Hospital and then Cedenco Foods as their GM of Human Resources, I returned to the Waikato to work as HR Projects Manager for NDA Engineering Ltd.
In 1998 I was one of a team of six that completed a Management Buy-Out of NDA, purchasing the then 100 year old business from the Dairy companies. NDA Engineering is one of the largest stainless steel fabricators in the southern hemisphere and at the time of my ownership had workshops in Hamilton, Hawera, Blenheim, Timaru and Invercargill along with two in Australia and one in Shanghai employing over 600 staff. Whilst at NDA, we grew the business both by acquisition, competition and by venturing in to new sectors—my role included a special focus on the wine industry and I led the Equipment Sales team at NDA.
It was also at this time in 1999 that we bought our house in Tamahere in the south of the Waikato District Council territory, wanting more of a country lifestyle than the city offered. In 2006, we sold our shares in NDA and took the opportunity to focus the next few years on our three children including a short stint based in Kerikeri.
By the time our oldest finished Primary schooling, we returned in 2014 to our same house in the Waikato District where we reside still today—some 25 years after we first bought it. After serving on the Board of Trustees at Tamahere Model Country School, I was first elected on to Council in 2016 as Councillor then re-elected unopposed in 2019—and have had the privilege to serve as Deputy Mayor for the Waikato District Council through to 2022.
During that time I was also a Trustee on the board of St Peter’s School of Cambridge and from August 2019 to August 2022 chaired Owl Farm, a 400 cow demonstration dairy farm joint venture between St. Peter’s and Lincoln University. I also currently serve as the Chair of New Zealand Lacrosse—supporting the growing game of Lacrosse in New Zealand and hoping to get a team qualified for the 2028 Olympics!
More recently, I spent just over a year heading the Waikato Housing Initiative as their CEO and have continued independent advocacy for affordable housing as we still struggle with a housing crises that affects many across our communities. I am also active in providing mediation and dispute resolution facilitation, with professional accreditation from AMINZ (Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand).
Family is at the heart of what centres me and my involvement in community started with support of them—on their school board of Trustees and involvement with their sports and passions. We still have the youngest finishing high school, one at university and the oldest now graduated and starting a professional career in mental health support. My wife, Susan, and I are proud of the start they are making to their adult lives and support of them continues to be at the centre for us.
