Wintec Honour Business, Community, Music Legends

Wintec To Honour Business, Community And Music Legends

Former University of Waikato Chancellor, John Gallagher is to receive an Honorary Fellowship from (Wintec) the Waikato Institute of Technology for outstanding and distinguished services to the community.

This was announced today by Wintec chair, Gordon Chesterman.

The Fellowship is Wintec’s highest honorary academic honour, and will be conferred during graduation ceremonies in March.

A second Fellowship is being awarded to prominent Waikato businessman, Laurie Pilling for his outstanding service to business and tourism in the region and his contribution in the military.

Mr Chesterman said the Fellowship to Mr Gallagher recognised a significant contribution to the community over a long period of time.

Mr Gallagher was well known for his philanthropic work through the Gallagher Group Charitable Trust, his work at the university as past chancellor, chair of Habitat for Humanity, trustee of the Sky City Hamilton Community Trust, former membership of the WEL Energy Trust and his 12 years service as a Hamilton City Councillor including two years as deputy Mayor and his role as a director of the Gallagher Group.

Mr Pilling had been a career soldier spending 20 years in the regular Army and serving 11 years overseas in South Vietnam, Malaya, Singapore, England and Australia, retiring with the rank of Major before beginning a business career in the Waikato.

He began with the ownership of Waingaro Hot Springs and as a partner in the river paddle steamer, the Waipa Delta and served on the board of Tourism Waikato which awarded him a life membership for his work in promoting tourism in the region.

Currently a board member of the region’s economic development agency, Katolyst, Mr Pilling owns Admark Visual Imaging, Waikato Business of the Year in 2003, and the winner of numerous international and national printing awards.

An honorary Master of Arts degree will be conferred on Raglan based music legend, Midge Marsden for his contribution as a leading rhythm and blues artist internationally, nationally and the Waikato.

A former New Zealand entertainer of the year, Mr Marsden has previously been a Wintec lecturer.

His award also recognises his on-going role of enthusiasm and promotion of Wintec’s Bachelor of Media Arts programme.

A final award, the Wintec Medal, is to be conferred on longstanding Hamilton politician David Peart for his contribution to local Government and to Wintec.

A current elected Hamilton member of Environment Waikato Mr Peart served as chairman of Wintec when the decision was made to purchase the 57 hectare Avalon Campus, north of the city, in the early 1990¹s.

According to Mr Chesterman,”this was a visionary decision and has future-proofed Wintec’s land needs for many years.”

Mr Peart is also chairman of the Hamilton Nightshelter Trust, the Baptist Church Pensioner Housing Committee and is a former president of Waikato Federated Farmers as well as serving as a Hamilton City Councillor.

ENDS

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