Thursday 17 May 2012 12:55 PM
Vodafone Warriors chairman Bill Wavish has today welcomed the appointment of Rotorua academic and community leader Donna Mariana Grant as the first woman on the club’s board.
Wavish, who became the board’s new chairman in early March, said Grant’s background in the tertiary sector and her community roles would be invaluable to the Vodafone Warriors.
“Donna has an outstanding reputation through the work she does in a multitude of roles,” he said.
“With her knowledge of Maori and Pacific people she is ideally-suited to fulfil the aims we have of widening the role the Vodafone Warriors play in the community. Our club has a fine record in this area and Donna has the passion and expertise to take our involvement to another level.
“She will prove a wonderful asset to the board and to the club as a whole.”
Grant said she was excited about being involved in a club which is so committed to making a major contribution to the community.
“I am very proud and humbled to have been invited to join the Vodafone Warriors board and I am looking forward to working with Owen, Eric and all the board members,” said Grant.
“I am particularly interested in bridging opportunities for the Vodafone Warriors to Maori and Pasifika with respect to strengthening relationships through community development initiatives.”
Grant has wide experience in educational and cultural fields, having taught in the primary and intermediate school sector for almost 20 years and served in the tertiary sector for 13 years.
She is the executive director of Manaakitanga Aotearoa Charitable Trust (Rotorua), and, is also head of discipline (performing arts) at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi (Whakatane).
Grant has led a number of delegations in the Pacific and serves on several boards including the Glenn Family Foundation, Te Matatini, and the NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) Nga Kaituhono Advisory Board.
Grant becomes the fourth new member on the board along with Wavish, Tony Holt and Justin Davis-Rice, who were appointed soon after it was announced in early March that Owen Glenn had become a 50 per cent shareholder in the Vodafone Warriors with existing owner Eric Watson.
Donna Grant’s father is the late Sir Howard Morrison.