CENTRAL PLAINS WATER TRUST - Key Persons
I have lived in Hororata for 22 years and before that lived in West Melton for 25 years - on small holdings in both places. I grew up in the King Country, went to Te Awamutu College and to Waikato, Canterbury and Otago universities. My first degree was in Geography where I was especially interested in geomorphology and hydrology and the creation of landforms and the economies that arose on them. I switched to psychology and am now an independently practising clinical psychologist, specialising in people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder.
In 2008 I was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of merit for services to intellectual disability and psychology. I completed my PhD in 1984 and Post Graduate Diploma of Health Services Management with distinction in 1992 I have ridden and driven horses but grew out of those activities. I now cycle and go to the gym to keep fit. I play the piano and pipe organ, although playing pipe organ has been limited since the Hororata Church fell down in the September 2010 earthquake. I play the piano for the St Johns Hororata services. I sing in the Selwyn Community Choir. In Hororata we are heavily committed to biodiversity and have three native and wetland planting areas.
I am a Trustee of the Hororata Community Trust and chair the Selwyn Central Community Care Trust.
I have a background in Water and Environmental Governance and am also a retired Selwyn District Councillor.
I have held and still hold Directorships on some companies and I am a Trustee on several charitable trusts providing housing and transport for the community.
I have an intensive arable farm with my Son and Wife growing a variety of seed crops.
Emigrating from the USA in 1984, Rob has been active in a range of New Zealand businesses that include aquaculture, animal health, conservation/ecotourism, technology and innovation, local government, and business development. Rob joined the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce in 2005 as a part of the Business Performance Team. He specialises in assisting companies with government R&D funding for technology development and as the Regional Technology Partner for Callaghan Innovation. He brings a professional and enthusiastic approach to engaging business with the support tools of government.
Rob has represented the Employer's Chamber on the Canterbury Regional Energy Strategy Group, Ministry for the Environment Industry liaison, Canterbury Strategic Water Study as well as Business NZ Energy Forum and the Christchurch City Council working party on Sustainability and Climate Change. Rob is a director of Birding Tours New Zealand Ltd. Rob trustee on the SIFT Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust for 8 years until it closed in operation in 2019 Rob recently retired from The Chamber and Callaghan Innovation.
He will be developing his photography skills and investigating other consulting options. He has been appointed to Central Plains Water Trust from Selwyn in 2020.