Three outstanding leaders enter Enterprise North Shore Business Hall of Fame

Enterprise North Shore inducted three outstanding North Shore business identities to its Business Hall of Fame last night (Thursday, August 25) at a glittering gala dinner to celebrate the Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards.

Enterprise North Shore chairman Maurice Boland announced that this year’s Business Hall of Fame ‘laureates’ are: businessman and benefactor to numerous charities and organisations, David Levene, Adis International founder and sports benefactor, Graeme Avery, and Navman NZ chairman, Peter Maire.

The Enterprise North Shore Business Hall of Fame, which was established last year, is a prestigious award recognising individuals whose exceptional efforts in business have had a positive impact on the city’s economy and business success.

Maurice Boland says the recipients are dedicated New Zealanders and outstanding members of the North Shore community. Their generosity and exceptional achievements in business make them worthy recipients of this prestigious award.

“We offer our congratulations to the Business Hall of Famers and express our sincere appreciation for the contribution they have made to the economy and wider community of North Shore City.”

The 2005 Enterprise North Shore Business Hall of Fame laureates are:

DAVID LEVENE, OBE
David Levene expanded his father’s shop, Levenes, into a 50-store empire that included a paint factory, a wallpaper factory and a host of other interests.

He built the business with a loyal and reliable network of people, revolutionary retail practices and strong philosophies such as “A satisfied customer is our best advertisement”. In 1994, David Levene sold the Levene chain and it is a tribute to him that many of his past employees remain in contact with him.

Today, David is involved in a property business that he established here on the North Shore and in venture capital investments, primary produce for local and export markets and a television production company.

Among his numerous community roles he actively supports the North Shore Hospice, is Patron of Outward Bound, has endowed a charitable trust and is a benefactor to many charitable, educational and sporting organisations.

David has an honorary doctorate from Massey University.


GRAEME AVERY
Graeme Avery founded the export-oriented, international medical publishing business, Adis International, in 1964. The company became a world leader specialising in knowledge publications on new prescription drugs and their use in disease management. A Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand, Graeme has a Diploma in Pharmacy. When he retired after more than 34 years, Adis International had more 400 employees and offices in 10 countries.

In recent years, Graeme established two businesses specialising in food and wine – one of which is Sileni Estates in Hawkes Bay. He has contributed to venture capital and is acting chairman of world pioneering medical research company, Diatranz, which is on the verge of developing the basis for potential cures for diabetes and certain neurodegenerative disorders using cell transplant technologies.
The president of the North Harbour Bays Athletics, Graeme has been a board member and chairman of Athletics New Zealand. He established the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health and is chairman of the Institute’s Sport & Health Appeal. Recognised as “New Zealander of the Year” in 2002 by current affairs magazine North & South, he also led the fundraising appeal for the East Coast Bays Stadium.


PETER MAIRE
Peter Maire is the founder and chairman of high profile electronics company, Navman NZ Ltd. Established 16 years ago, Navman now employs more than 650 people worldwide and, in 2004, had a turnover in excess of $230 million. The company opened a $4 million head office in North Shore City earlier this year.

Navman exports almost its entire output from manufacturing bases in North Shore City and Christchurch and has taken its expertise in marine GPS technology into other markets, including mobile data, personal and land navigation, original equipment manufacture (OEM) and lifestyle products.

A founding member of the Government’s Information and Communications Technology Taskforce, Peter is a board member of the Hi Growth Advisory Board and a member of the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board, established this year by the Ministry of Economic Development. He is a respected speaker on technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, a supporter of projects within the engineering schools of many New Zealand universities and a mentor of a number of small technology companies.

Background

The Enterprise North Shore Business Hall of Fame recognises elite North Shore business people and complements the Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards which, for the past eight years, have recognised the achievements of local businesses.

Enterprise North Shore chairman Maurice Boland who, with a group of leading North Shore business people instigated the award, says each year awards are made to business people who have made notable contributions to the North Shore’s business growth and economic development.

Nominees will have operated a successful business for a minimum of 10 years and their business must be located in North Shore City. Enterprise North Shore Board of Trustees select up to five laureates each year from public nominations, to a maximum of 25 overall.