Bryan Mogridge, Chair

Bryan gained a degree in Biochemistry at Massey. He entered the wine industry as General Manager of Corbans in 1983 before being appointed in October 1984 as Managing Director and CEO of New Zealand's largest and publicly listed wine company, Montana Wines

In 1985 he was elected the Chairman of The NZ Wine Institute (now New Zealand Winegrowers), and became an inaugural Life Member in 1998.  In the same year he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the wine industry. In 2008 he was inducted into the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame. During this time Bryan was instrumental in building a solid export base for all New Zealand wine.

Bryan has a passion for philanthropy and among many activities has been a trustee of the Starship Foundation since its inception and chairman for the past 20 years.

Professor Jan Thomas, Vice-Chancellor & ex-officio member

Professor Jan Thomas commenced as Vice-Chancellor of Massey University in January 2017. From 2012 Jan served as Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia.  Prior to that, she held various senior executive positions at Murdoch University and the University of Notre Dame Australia from 2003.

Professor Thomas has a PhD in Veterinary Science from Murdoch University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Company Directors. She has received numerous awards for her leadership in education.

Professor Thomas currently holds the position of Chair for the Managing Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities based in London and is a member of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Council.

Dianne Kidd

Dianne graduated from Massey University in 1977 with an Arts degree majoring in Geography. She enjoyed a diverse career in education and the NZ funds management sector before turning her hand to a number of non executive governance roles over the last decade.

With her husband Richard Kidd (also Massey University graduate B.Ag.Sc) they actively farm a 376 ha Helensville sheep & beef farm and are the 2016 National winners of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards & Gordon Stephenson Trophy.  Dianne is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors. 

Dianne was recognised in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to health administration.

Whenuanui Farm is on the edge of Auckland city. The farm is recognised and respected for its productivity and proactive environmental management. Their son David Kidd graduated from Massey University in 2006.   David was the 2014 ANZ Young Farmer of the year.

Professor Wayne McIlwraith

Dr. McIlwraith obtained his veterinary degree from Massey University in 1971. He practiced in New Zealand and the UK, followed by an internship at the University of Guelph, Canada, a surgical residency at Purdue University and obtained MS and PhD degrees from Purdue University. Since 1979 he has been a faculty member at Colorado State University.

Currently he is a University Distinguished Professor, holds the Barbara Cox Anthony University Endowed Chair in Orthopaedics and is founding Director of the Orthopaedic Research Center and the Musculoskeletal Research Program at Colorado State University. He also has a referral surgical practice in Southern California and consults elsewhere in the US and also in Ireland, England and France.

He is a recognised leader in the fields of equine orthopaedic surgery and research.

He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and the European College of Veterinary Surgeons as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK). He is a Past President of AAEP, ACVS and The Veterinary Orthopaedic Society.

Shelley Turner

Shelley Turner has extensive experience in senior leadership roles in the state sector, with a proven background of delivery and organisational leadership. Most recently, she was acting Chief Executive and Director of the Civil Aviation Authority and Deputy Chief Executive responsible for all corporate services.

Shelley has held several senior roles in the New Zealand intelligence community, including Deputy Director General and General Manager, Intelligence Community Shared Services. She brings a strong HR background, in both the State Services Commission, a prior role with the Civil Aviation Authority, and a previous role in the intelligence community.

Paul Bayly

Paul has extensive international experience as a merchant banker with Citibank and Midland Montague, including undertaking business and credit analysis, capital restructuring and fund raising, mergers and acquisitions and business development projects. He has provided investment banking and corporate advice to private companies, local authorities, central government agencies, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and United Nations Development Programme in a career that has spanned England, Southern and Eastern Africa, Australia, Fiji and the British Virgin Islands.

Paul’s academic background covers accounting, finance and economics. In 2008 he completed the Senior Executive Fellows Programme at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. He has postgraduate and graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and Massey University.

Paul is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the New Zealand Institute of Management and Chartered Institute of Company Secretaries. He was also a member of the Small Business Advisory Group from 2007 -2009.

Paul is a retired Colonel in the New Zealand Army. He has attended the Canadian Militia Command and Staff College in Ontario and has undertaken operational tours in East Timor, South Lebanon and Syria. He has also served with the Australian Special Forces.

Following sixteen years as Managing Director of Cranleigh, a merchant bank that he founded in 1996, Paul became the Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport in Fiji.

In late 2020 Paul returned from his last overseas post in the British Virgin Islands where he was CEO of the UK and BVI government’s jointly established Recovery and Development Agency. In this role Paul led the BVI’s US $1 Billion recovery program post hurricane Irma.

Now back in New Zealand, Paul publishes an online magazine #infrastructure4u about global infrastructure and procurement challenges.

Ben Vanderkolk

Matamata-raised Ben Vanderkolk has resided in Palmerston North since 1983, serving the community as Crown Solicitor from 1987. He has been a member of the Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal and of the Faculty of the NZ Law Society Litigation Skills Programme. Ben has served as Chairman of the NZ Netherlands Foundation and is Chairman of the Te Awahou-Nieuwe Stroom Trust. Since its incorporation, Ben has served as Chairman of the Manfield Park Trust. He is a member of the BCC Trust, and is also on the Council of Massey University. He is also the Chair, UCOL Universal College of Learning, Palmerston North.

A graduate of Canterbury University, he has created the third-largest law firm in the Manawatu, more recently providing corporate and strategic legal advice. He has three sons, raised and educated in the region, and a young daughter.

“I regard the region as providing sustainable opportunity for growth. It is a fine province in which to live. The Manawatu is a meritocracy where success can be achieved within one generation.”

Ben is married to Jennifer Little.