Tauranga Celebrations: Tauranga businessman Jon Mayson (centre) with from left Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford and Chancellor Jim Bolger.
More than a hundred guests gathered in Tauranga this week, to celebrate local business leader Jon Mayson’s honorary doctorate from the University of Waikato. The former CEO of Port of Tauranga Ltd and Chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, received the award at a black-tie dinner on September 14.
A seasoned mariner, Jon Mayson CNZM spent almost 26 years at sea, first in the Merchant Navy, where he qualified as a master mariner, and then as Tugmaster and Pilot in the Port of Tauranga. He then moved into operational management roles at the Port and was appointed to the position of Chief Executive in 1997.
“The honour was in recognition of Jon’s substantial contributions to the development of the Port of Tauranga and the wider business and arts communities, and his unwavering belief in the potential of people to achieve great things,” says University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford.
“Through his work at the Port of Tauranga and elsewhere, Jon has displayed a tireless commitment to social justice and business innovation, and an inclusive leadership style.”
In 2006 Mr Mayson was honoured for his services to the shipping industry and to the export sector and made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM). He is a past president of Export New Zealand and currently chairs the boards of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, TKC Holdings Ltd, C3 Ltd, Ziwipeak Ltd, Trevelyan Pack and Cool Ltd and Legacy Funerals Ltd.
Mr Mayson has also been actively involved in supporting the arts in Tauranga as one of the sponsors of the Tauranga Art Gallery, and as Chairman of the Tauranga Arts Festival Trust and of the Museum Steering Group.