REINZ hosts its 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) online

REINZ held its AGM on Wednesday, 24 November — this year, for the first time, as a virtual event due to COVID-19 restrictions. We bid farewell to two Board Members and welcomed two new Regional Directors and three new Life Members. The AGM was well attended and ran smoothly, thanks to the high number of pre-registrations. It was wonderful to see many familiar faces.

We were pleased to announce the reappointment of Miriam Dean QC (Independent Director) and Jo-Anne Clifford (Appointed Director) for a further two-year term. The Board also re-elected Bridget Coates to continue as Chairperson for a further one-year term.

Election of two new Regional Directors

Two new Regional Directors were welcomed to the Board. Treena Drinnan (AREINZ) joins the Board as the Regional Director for Northland, Auckland, and Coromandel (Region 1), and Malcolm Morris (AREINZ) joins as the Regional Director for Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu/Whanganui, Taranaki, and Wellington (Region 3).

Treena has 27 years of experience in the real estate profession and is the current Chief Agency Officer at Ray White, sitting on the corporate leadership team. Treena has been involved in the REA Regulator Forum and as a subject matter expert helping shape CPD (verifiable and non-verifiable) training material annually.

Malcolm has over 30 years of experience in the profession, including commercial and industrial, residential, business brokering and auctioneering. Malcolm is a Licensee Salesperson at Ray White Kilbirnie. He is passionate about real estate training and is an REA approved verifiable training provider and a part-time contract assessor for the Real Estate Salesperson course — Level 4.

Bridget Coates, Chair of the REINZ Board, says she and the rest of the Board are delighted to welcome Treena and Malcolm, who bring their extensive knowledge of New Zealand real estate.

“Already proactive contributors to the profession, they will add invaluable expertise and energy to the Board, its members, and the wider profession in the coming months and years,” Bridget comments.

Farewelling two Regional Directors

REINZ bid farewell to two Regional Directors as their terms came to a close at the AGM. Wendy Alexander (FREINZ) retired as Regional Director for Region 1, having completed the maximum number of consecutive terms as a Director on the REINZ Board. Mark Coffey’s (AREINZ) current term as Regional Director for Region 3 also ended.

At the online event, Bridget acknowledged the outgoing Directors and their significant contributions whilst on the Board.

Celebrating achievement with three new Life Members

Three new Life Members were elected at the AGM — Wendy Alexander (FRIENZ), Garry Denley (Honorary Retired), and Robert McCormack (FRIENZ).

Wendy is well-known and highly respected in the profession, with over 45 years of experience and a Fellow of the Institute since 2011. Wendy was Chief Executive at Barfoot & Thompson until 2018, before becoming a consultant. In addition to serving four consecutive two-year terms on the REINZ Board, Wendy served twice as interim Chief Executive at REINZ, most recently, between Bindi Norwell leaving and Jen Baird assuming the role of REINZ Chief Executive.

Garry has been involved in the real estate profession since 1977 and progressed through three Districts, various sub-committees and elected positions. He also spent five years as the Executive

Officer Member Services at the REINZ National Office. After gaining his AREINZ status, Garry was elected to the Wellington Committee. In 1986 Garry was elected to the Auckland District Committee, and in 1989, he became a Fellow of REINZ. Garry was the inaugural Chairman of REINZ ITO Limited until 2007, and in 2000 he was appointed to the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal — retiring in March 2020.

Robert is the Chief Executive of Harcourts Grenadier Real Estate and was included in the Harcourts Hall of Fame in 2004. With 42 years of service to the brand, he is the longest-serving member globally of Harcourts International. Robert set up the Grenadier franchise within the Harcourts Group in 1991, where his skills and leadership took that franchise to number one globally for many years.

Robert now has 14 offices in Christchurch and approximately 300 staff. He has been a panel member on the REA and REINZ, became a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management in 2005, and a Fellow of REINZ in 2018.

“To become a REINZ Life Member is a huge honour. It is recognition by the profession and peers of the significant contribution and service to the profession made by an individual,” Bridget said.

Melisa Beight

General Counsel, REINZ