Four new laureates were inducted into the North Harbour Business Hall of Fame at a black tie function held at The Spencer Hotel in Takapuna in early November. The four were Naomi Ballantyne, Hugh Stedman, Ian Jackson and Kerry Dines. The event has been sponsored for many years by Milford Asset Management. MC for the evening was Rachel Smalley. Richard Pilley spoke on behalf of Milford Asset Management and the evening was kicked off by Mike Atkinson, President of the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust.
Since 2015, the North Harbour Business Hall of Fame has been managed by the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust – part of the Club's ongoing programme of rewarding excellence. Established originally by North Shore City’s business development entity Enterprise North Shore in 2004, the Hall of Fame celebrates those who have made significant contributions to the North Harbour region in business and in the community.
To be considered for induction, a nominee must be a successful business leader in their industry, who has applied their skills and success to also benefit the community.
Naomi Ballantyne, ONZM
Naomi Ballantyne has spent 41 years in the insurance industry, 35 building three of the largest life insurance businesses.
Naomi was a founding employee of Sovereign Insurance, joining Chris Coon and Ian Hendry at age 24. When Sovereign was sold to ASB in 1998, Naomi founded Club Life, later sold to ING before she left in 2009. Then came Partners Life, founded in 2011 and sold for over $1b to Japanese life insurer Dai-ichi in 2022.
The former Westlake Girls High student was born and raised in Glenfield; her mum Tongan, father Canadian. Naomi’s thirst for hard work started at 13, strawberry picking, then working in a dairy, and in Farmers' menswear before moving on to insurance. The rest is history.
Ironically, Naomi’s parents never had insurance, saying they never talked about money, which is still a problem in New Zealand families. She didn’t know what insurance was... but says she found out early that people get paid money when bad things happen and that’s what has kept her hooked for all these years.
Family is important, and Naomi’s has been there through all her achievements. Husband Kerry, their son Kris and Naomi’s brother Peter have all played parts in the success, and she counts her daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, two nephews, a niece, a nephew’s wife, and three of her cousins’ sons among employees along the way.
Naomi is passionate about life risk insurance and its purpose, saying “Our mission has always been to be able to financially protect more families against ill health, in a vastly underinsured market.”
Naomi Ballantyne gives back in many ways, personally and through her businesses. She speaks at Rotary youth leader camps which is one way she is looking to foster change. Battling the financial rorting inflicted on Pacific Island communities is another. Teaching emerging leaders about bravery, resilience and character is also a great passion. Helping others improve their financial wellbeing is clearly a focus.
Partner’s Life is a support partner of ‘Banqer High’, an innovative education technology company for schools. Partners Life has also been a principal supporter of Cure Kids, for many years sponsored the ‘Partners Life DUAL’ and has been the Principal Sponsor of ‘Body Worlds Vital’.
Naomi has also been inducted into the Company of Women Female Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, is the recipient of the ANZIIF Lifetime Achievement Award for her services to the New Zealand life insurance market, the FSC Chairman’s Award for services to the Financial Services Industry, and was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2017 New Year's Honours list.
Hugh Stedman
Hugh Stedman has been part of the North Shore Community since 1970. He was enticed over the Harbour Bridge by his very new wife Wendy 53 years ago and has gone on to make a big contribution.
Hugh Stedman started out his working life with a chartered accountant, undertaking two years of an accountancy degree at ATI, before failing the exams. That failure was a stroke of luck, as he pivoted to join AMP. Over a 31-year career Hugh became one of New Zealand’s leading insurance agents. In 1983 he won an industry-wide Pinnacle Life Award.
In 1988, Hugh established 300 Richmond Limited, a self-storage and serviced office business. This became the first Storage King branded facility in New Zealand. By 2010, that business had grown to 1500 storage units and 85 serviced offices. As an individual storage business, it was the largest of its type in New Zealand when sold in February, 2020. Another 31-year business stint for Hugh!
Along the way Hugh and Wendy Stedman have brought up two daughters and a son, first living in the Bays before moving to Takapuna in 1984. They are hugely proud of their three children and eight grandchildren.
Sport has been big in Hugh Stedman’s life: sailing, boating, running, triathlon, snow skiing and golf. He was a prolific runner until 1997, completing 15 marathons including New York with Wendy in 1987. Hugh has been a YMCA Health Club member since 1972.
Hugh has always been a massive giver to the community – mostly under the radar. Hugh was a Member of the North Shore Round Table from 1970 to 1984 and president in 1979. He was a founding member and first Secretary of the YMCA Marathon Club. Hugh and Wendy were made Life Members of Auckland YMCA in 2021.
He was a member of the Rotary Club of Takapuna North for over 30 years from 1986 to 2018 – president in 2009, and is a Double Paul Harris Fellow.
Hugh was also a founding member of the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust, has been a Trustee, and has played a big part in the success of that organisation over 28 years.
He was founding Chair of YES Disability’s ‘ways and means’ committee and led the funding campaign to get the facility established. He also served as a Trustee.
Hugh was an early driver of the Shore Junction Youth Innovation Hub initiative, playing a big role in fundraising to ensure its establishment.
Hugh and Wendy Stedman live in Takapuna.
Ian Jackson, MNZM
Stanley Point resident Ian Jackson is a pioneer in the New Zealand plumbing industry. His involvement has its origins when his father James set up his own business in 1940. Ian joined the family business – JP Jackson Ltd in Taihape – in 1953, completing a plumbing apprenticeship and helping his father to establish a number of businesses.
He moved to Auckland in 1959, gaining experience in commercial plumbing with WA Chenery and then in Australia, working in Sydney.
Ian married Maureen in Sydney in 1962. Three years later they moved back to Auckland and started Jackson Plumbing in Kingsland. In the ’80s they purchased Wilkie Plumbing in Whangaparaoa.
In 1986, Ian became a shareholder in Allproof Industries, an Australian company supplying waterproofing products. He eventually gained the total shareholding for New Zealand and Australia.
In 1992, a major investment in machinery for manufacturing plumbing products signalled a milestone in the company’s evolution.
In 1995, Ian initiated the uptake of the Australian Plumbing Code AS3500 throughout New Zealand, as a more efficient method of plumbing – reducing man hours, materials and labour.
In 1997, Allproof moved from Kingsland to Mairangi Bay, then to Albany in 2004, and in 2007 further expansion came as the company acquired Pedicom Tooling, an injection moulding operation. In 2010, Allproof relocated to Beach Haven, bringing the entire business together. In following years a stainless steel fabrication division was added, then distribution and warehousing operations in Christchurch, Melbourne, and later Brisbane.
The Jackson family gives back, supporting a range of charities, schools, sporting and local music organisations. They are the main sponsor of East Coast Ngati Poroa Rugby Union, and have provided work opportunities and apprenticeships for school leavers from Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School on the East Coast. Ian’s been involved with swimming and surf lifesaving, was president and is a life member of the successful North Shore Swimming Club and has been a member and president of Auckland West Rotary Club. Music is also a passion.
Ian Jackson was recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours, receiving an MNZM for services to the plumbing industry and the community.
Sadly, Maureen passed away in 2020. Her legacy lives on with the Maureen Jackson Women in Plumbing Trophy, awarded at the Master Plumbers' annual conference.
Allproof now employs 145 staff. It remains a family business with Ian proud that his children Adam (general manager), and Jacinta (administration manager) are now driving the business. Jared also spent 24 years with the company. Ian remains a shareholder and director and still contributes as required.
Kerry Dines
Takapuna resident, engineer and developer Kerry Dines, has enjoyed an impressive business career spanning over five decades.
Prior to founding the Dines Group in 1981, Kerry Dines completed an engineering cadetship with KRTA, a large civil engineering consultancy specialising in subdivision design and construction.
At age 21, young Kerry Dines moved to Wilson Rothery, an Auckland civil construction, quarrying and transport business with a staff of 100, that he was managing by age 25.
Kerry went on to set up his own civil construction business Kerry Dines Limited in the early '80s – the forerunner to the Dines Group. Along the way Kerry acquired Sheetmetals Limited, an established engineering manufacturing business.
In 1985, an investment and development business was established and the Dines Group moved into land development with a 360-lot residential subdivision in West Harbour and a further 180-lot development in Glenfield.
From 1988 to 2005 the Dines Group developed a home base for its business divisions in Mt Wellington and was involved in several office, retail and industrial developments in the Albany area, including the acquisition and development of 40 hectares of industrial land. It also completed a major residential re-development of Glendowie’s ‘Mad' Ave and developed a 58-hectare industrial site near Auckland airport.
Under Kerry’s leadership the Dines Group has become one of Auckland’s largest subdivisional contractors, with projects including the North Shore’s Rosedale industrial precinct, Massey University and North Harbour Stadium siteworks, stages of Millwater and Milldale, Long Bay and Unsworth Heights.
In 2005, the Dines Group identified Pokeno as a major opportunity for residential and industrial development. 270 hectares of largely rural land was purchased and rezoned with 1800 residential lots now having been constructed and sold, and more to come.
The latest venture involves an offshore project with land and residential building developments being undertaken in Ottawa, Canada.
The Dines Group currently employs over 200 staff with the construction and property activities based on the North Shore.
Kerry has been married to Linda for 52 years; they have two children and four grandchildren. He credits a great deal of their success to their strong partnership.
This success has seen the formation of The Dines Family Charitable Trust, an entity that is a substantial donor to organisations associated with medicine, medical research, education and addressing poverty. Organisations they support include Auckland University and, in the North Harbour Region, YES Disability since its inception, and Shore Junction Youth Innovation Hub as the Technology Pillar Sponsor. Harbour Hospice has also been a recipient, as is First Foundation supporting students from low decile schools.
The nominator of Kerry for this recognition described him as “a quiet philanthropist who has formed a charitable trust that supports many worthy projects and organisations”.
North Harbour Business Hall of Fame Laureates 2004-2023 (*Denotes Deceased) – Inductees 2004 - Geoff Smale*, Jim Smale*, Ralph Roberts*, Sir Stephen Tindall (also Lifetime Achievement Award 2022) • 2005 - Sir David Levene* (also Lifetime Achievement Award 2017); Sir Graeme Avery; Sir Peter Maire • 2006 - Diane Foreman, Peter Menzies • 2007 - Ian Calderwood • 2008 - David Charlesworth* • 2009 - Colin Harvey* • 2010 - Jan Dawson, Gary Monk • 2016 - Paul Blackwell and Liz Blackwell; John Spooner; Annette Presley • 2017 - Bill Speedy; Eric Fasenkloet; Paul Byrnes • 2018 - Ken Noble; David McAlpine; Steve Newman • 2019 - Greg Smale, Carmel Fisher, Guy Haddleton and Sue Haddleton* • 2021 - Garth Barfoot, Bob Jago, Craig Heatley • 2022 - The Alison Brothers* (Ewan & Alexander), Walter Gill and Simon Gundry, Ann Tod, Aidan Bennett • 2023 - Naomi Ballantyne, Hugh Stedman, Ian Jackson, Kerry Dines.
