Te Rarawa Son Takes NZ Engineer of the Year

Te Rarawa Son Takes New Zealand Young Engineer of the Year

Te Rarawa son Tyrone Newson was announced winner of the 2007 New Zealand Engineering Excellence (NZEE) Awards New Zealand Young Engineer of the Year at TE PAPA in Wellington last night.

The Auckland-based engineer us passionate about promoting the engineering profession to Māori and Pasifika communities, and where possible working with communities in his papakainga of Mitimiti Hokianga and in Tonga.

Steve Gentry, Convenor for the NZEE Individual Awards judging panel, says award is awarded to a young engineer, aged 35 years or under, who is judged to have made the most excellent contribution as an engineer and leader through their professional role and community involvement. The winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize of $2,000.00. The other three finalists will each receive $500.00.

Tyrone Newson MIPENZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) was a founding member of both SPIES (South Pacific Indigenous Engineering Students), the group that supports Maori and Pasifika students at the University of Auckland, and Whai-a-tihi, the Maori staff group at Auckland City Council.

As an undergraduate Tyrone worked with the Hamilton City Council in his summer break on remedial repairs to bridge arches. During the next four years he worked for the Auckland City Council and was a key player in roading asset management information projects. In 1999 he joined GHD Ltd as a senior roading engineer and was again heavily involved in roading asset maintenance and management.

In 2000 Tyrone became Director of Northern Tree Harvesters and Kingship Properties Ltd’s roading portfolio. Two years later he became its Chief Executive Officer, responsible for 1,800 hectares of forest. This involved harvesting 50,000 tonnes per annum, constructing two to five kilometres of new road each year, and looking after some 20 staff.

Since 2003 Tyrone has worked for Beca, firstly as a senior roading engineer and then as Project Manager for Auckland Airport’s $10-million domestic terminal retail development and later the $80-million international terminal arrivals hall expansion.

The New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards are staged by a consortium of five partners and 10 contributing organisations. The founding partners are: Centre for Advanced Engineering (CAE); Association of Local Government Engineering New Zealand Incorporated (INGENIUM); Electricity Engineers Association of New Zealand (EEA); Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand (ACENZ); and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Inc (IPENZ).

ENDS

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