PRESIDENT’S WORD
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD Words by Barry O’Neil, President : HortNZ
This month we have the changing of the guard with our very hard-working chief executive, Mike Chapman, stepping down from the role after five and a half years, as he begins his retirement. I can absolutely say we have been very fortunate to have Mike’s leadership. His commitment, intellect, strength and drive for results has enabled HortNZ to punch well above its weight by fully engaging and understanding grower issues, and then advocating in Wellington for the best possible outcome for growers. Mike began his career as a lawyer in the Royal New Zealand Navy where he reached the rank of Commander. To me, Commander Chapman is absolutely Mike, with his driven and energetic leadership style. Mike then moved to the Commerce Commission as manager of the legal team responsible for the Commission’s litigation. He still holds a practicing certificate as a barrister and solicitor, something from which many of us have benefited, using our own inhouse legal expert to review many rules, constitutions and contracts. Mike’s career in horticulture began in 2002 when he was appointed as chief executive of Kiwifruit New Zealand, and then chief executive of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, a position he held for 10 years.
2 NZGROWER : JUNE 2021
During his time in kiwifruit, Mike held various board roles including being an inaugural director of Kiwifruit Vine Health, deputy chair of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology in Tauranga, and a council member and now director of the Primary Industry Training Organisation. I remember Mike and I having a discussion at the Horticulture Conference in Rotorua in 2015 about how HortNZ could best support growers. My challenge to Mike was that if he wanted to see change, then he should apply for the role and make it happen. And he did just that, was appointed to the role and as they say the rest is history. Some of Mike’s well-known leadership sayings include, ‘One step at a time. Panic doesn’t work’. Mike has had plenty of opportunity to use this advice, including when Psa struck the kiwifruit industry. He used his approach to help guide the industry and its growers through the crisis and onto recovery. He is also known to say ‘it’s the nature of a crisis that it never happens when you have time or the resources to cope’. So true! Another saying of Mike’s is, ‘Have a written plan – one that’s flexible and adaptable and look after everyone including yourself’. I’m unsure if Mike did so well with this last piece of advice, as he’s been working very long hours, including commuting from Tauranga. Our thanks must go to his partner Judith who has supported him in the HortNZ role.
Since becoming HortNZ chief executive, Mike has focused his many talents and that never ending energy on some really significant issues for horticulture, including reforms of vocational education, Resource Management Act reforms and plan changes, labour shortages and the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, urbanisation and its impact on productive horticultural land and most recently, the significant challenges presented by Covid-19. Mike’s advocacy for the horticultural industry – to government, ministers and publicly – has been untiring, forceful and balanced, always with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for growers, the New Zealand economy and the health of its people through access to nutritious, locally grown food.
Mike’s career in horticulture began in 2002 when he was appointed as chief executive of Kiwifruit New Zealand, and then chief executive of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, a position he held for 10 years
