Our Patron
In July 2020, we were delighted that the Foundation’s inaugural Chairman, Joe La Grouw agreed to become our first Patron. You can read more about our Patron here 🠢
Our Trustees
The Trust is made up of a board of trustees from around the Central North Island, who give willingly of their time and expertise to oversee the organisation. All Trustees are appointed and generously volunteer their time.
Each member of our team brings distinctive experience and skills providing diverse and representative leadership to support Geyser’s mission of connecting generous local people with charitable causes through giving that lasts forever. You can read more about our Trustees here 🠢
Our Management Team
Our core team represents fewer than two full-time equivalent staff. Our management team are paid and work over and above their duties to ensure the office runs smoothly, donor’s wishes are carried out as intended and grant applications are processed efficiently. You can read more about our management team here 🠢
Our Committees
Geyser has several dedicated Committees to oversee different aspects of the organisation. These people also generously volunteer their time and expertise.
- Distribution Advisory Committee (these people decide where the money goes)
- Finance Committee (these people closely monitor the finances)
- Investment Committee (these people work with our funding manager)
Our Ambassadors
We are fortunate to have a number of past trustees, community leaders and other generous supporters who have played a huge part in establishing Geyser and getting it to where it is today, as Ambassadors. You can read more about our Ambassadors here 🠢
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Our Patron
Joe La Grouw MNZM
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Well known and respected local businessman, Joe La Grouw is the inaugural Patron of the Geyser Community Foundation. A former Westpac Rotorua Business Person of the Year and Chairman of BNZ Partners Centre Central Plateau, he has been a director and member of many significant businesses and associations throughout New Zealand. As Geyser’s Founding Chairman, Joe led the Foundation during a period of immense growth and change from 2007 to 2015. Together with his wife, Jo-Anne, he has always led by example. They established Geyser’s first endowment fund, which will benefit the local community for generations to come, and generously contributed to the Foundation’s operating costs. Joe’s knowledge and dedication to his local community helped introduce the community foundation concept to people right across the Central North Island. As Patron, he is the guardian of the Foundation’s values and brings an independent view from the community to the Board. In 2010, Joe was made a Companion of the Order of Merit for services to business and the community.Read more here 🠢 |
Geyser Community Foundation Trustees and Management Team (2022): L to R Back: Trustees Alan Wills, Don Stewart. L to R Front: Vicky Powell (Operations Manager), Trustees Ann Nicholas, Helene Phillips (Chairman), Jan Bolton, Mary-Robyn Clement, Annette Burgess (Executive Officer). Inset: Chris Spargo (Deputy Chair). Photo: Brendan O’Brien Photography.
Our Trustees
Helene Phillips
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Appointed by Geyser’s Board of Trustees
Helene and her partner, Peter Jarvis moved to Acacia Bay in Taupo to semi-retire in 2008. A Director of Ferner Galleries, one of New Zealand’s leading art dealers founded by Peter in Auckland in 1985, Helene is a former Foundation Trustee of the Auckland Art Fair and Trustee of the Lake Taupo Arts Trust. She has been President of the Tauhara Luncheon and Lecture Club, a member of the Taupo Women’s Club and was secretary of the organising committee for the 69th annual conference of the New Zealand Rhododendron Association held in Taupo in 2013. She served as an Ambassador of the Geyser Community Foundation from 2013 until her appointment as a Trustee in 2018. Helene was elected Chairman in 2021. |
Chris Spargo
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Appointed by Waikato Bay of Plenty Branch of the New Zealand Law Society
Chris formed specialist law firm Blackman Spargo (Rural and Commercial Law) with Ian Blackman in Rotorua in 2003 and has been practising for 16 years. Blackman Spargo specialise in rural and commercial law, the majority of which involves legal structures, family trusts, tax advice, property transactions, subdivisions, company legal work and overseas investment. A member of the New Zealand Law Society Rural Technical Committee, he has chaired the Society’s Rural Law Conference. He is married to Heather and they have two children. |
Jan Bolton
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Appointed by the Mayor of Rotorua
Jan Bolton is no stranger to the Community Foundation concept. A long-time supporter of the Kaingaroa Village and Murupara communities, she joined Geyser’s Family of Donors back in 2009 and having been appointed as a Trustee in 2021, looks forward to becoming more involved. A successful local business woman, Jan is proud to live and work in Murupara, where she owns and manages Kaingaroa Roading Contractors, which maintains the unsealed road network in Timberlands’ world renowned Kaingaroa Forest Estate spanning some 200,000 ha in the Central North Island. Six years ago, Jan bought the local garage to house the roading equipment and has also kept it as a working garage. She can now be found pumping gas from 8 am to 5 pm, five days each week and loves it. Appointed as a Trustee by the Mayor of Rotorua, Jan has one daughter, a son-in-law – both of whom work for Red Stag Timber, and a granddaughter who attends Murupara Area School. |
Mary-Robyn Clement
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Appointed by Geyser’s Board of Trustees
Born and raised in Rotorua, Mary-Robyn is a chartered accountant and Associate of True North Chartered Accountants. She began her accountancy career in Sydney, and after a short break to raise her family, returned to work in Rotorua. With over 20 years’ experience in the chartered accountancy field, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Geyser. A people person, Mary-Robyn has four adult children and two grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoys walking, reading and relaxing with friends and family. |
Ann Nicholas
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Appointed by Geyser’s Board of Trustees
A planning consultant, Ann is a principal of Sigma Consultants, a company she helped establish in Rotorua in 1993. Originally from Christchurch, she completed her planning degree in Auckland before moving to Rotorua 40+ years ago, where she and her husband, Ian, who died in 2013, brought up their three children. The local community has always been important to Ann. She has been involved in a number of voluntary organisations in Rotorua, including being an active member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Rotorua. Outside of work, Ann enjoys walking, biking, gardening and reading, as well as a variety of handcrafts, and spending time with family and friends. |
Don Stewart
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Appointed by Geyser’s Board of Trustees
Having moved to Rotorua from Auckland in 1980, Don is a well-known and respected Chartered Accountant who has practiced for more than 40 years. A principal of Nairn Fisher for the past 25 years, Don advises a wide range of clients in the areas of taxation, business structures and succession planning. He has been involved with many community organisations over the years, including working with the JR McKenzie Trust, and is a Past President of Rotorua Lakes Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. Don and his wife Clare have three adult children and several grandchildren. They are passionate about Rotorua and the lifestyle it offers; golf, fishing and mountain biking are favourite activities when time permits. |
Alan Wills
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Appointed by Geyser’s Board of Trustees
The rural community of Reporoa has always ben important to Alan, who grew up there. His parents purchased land post WW2, one of the 170 pioneering families to settle there in the early 1950s. Educated in Reporoa, Auckland and Canterbury (where he met his wife, Alison), Alan always wanted to be a farmer. After graduating from the School of Agriculture of Canterbury University College (now known as Lincoln University), he took up a 50/50 share-milking position on a family property in Reporoa. He and Alison married in 1976 and after six years share-milking, they purchased part of the family sheep farm and converted it to dairy. Alan spent 15 years chairing the Board of Trustees of both Reporoa Primary and Reporoa College, and recently completed a six-year term as President of Rotorua/Taupo Federated Farmers. In his spare time, Alan enjoys competition ploughing and led the New Zealand team overseas to compete at the World Ploughing Championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Alan and Alison have four adult children and 12 grand children. |
Our Management Team
Annette Burgess
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Annette is the Executive Officer of the Geyser Community Foundation and is responsible for its day-to-day operations.
Well-known in the local community, she grew up in Waikite Valley, and was educated in Rotorua, Reporoa and Wellington. A Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, Annette is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Rotorua Lakes and a Paul Harris Fellow. She has considerable experience in the community sector having worked with a number of community organisations, locally and further afield, including The Tindall Foundation, JR McKenzie Trust and Rotorua Trust. You can contact Annette on (07) 349 7496 or email annette@geysercf.org.nz |
Vicky Powell
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Vicky brings a wealth of skills and experience in office admin, database management, publishing and website design to her new role.
Passionate about the non-profit sector, she co-founded a small charity in her twenties to raise funds for marine mammal research. Originally from Katikati, Vicky moved to Rotorua 20-odd years ago. A keen mountain biker, she can be found enjoying the trails in Whakarewarewa Forest in her spare time. You can contact Vicky on (07) 349 7496 or email vicky@geysercf.org.nz |
Our Ambassadors
We are fortunate to have a number of past trustees, community leaders and other generous supporters who have played a huge part in establishing Geyser and getting it to where it is today, as Ambassadors.
These people are very aware of the enormous benefits that will be generated to our local community through their own and others’ endowment gifts for future generations.
Our Awesome Ambassadors
Jan Bolton (Chairman)
Jeanne Bright
Pat Brown
Steve Chadwick
Bill Cleghorn
Pat Cowbourne
Tom Davies
Paul East
Terry Fergusson
Grahame Hall
Martin Hampson
Kierin Irvine
Judy Keaney
Joe La Grouw
Brett Marvelly
Jenny McDonald
Fraser McKenzie
Helen Nathan
Murray Patchell
Richard Pryce
Paul Sandford
Clayton Stent
Margriet Theron