Barry Pett - Chairman
Barry has a long association with the Polytechnic and its changes over the years. His first association was for secondary school education in its last years as Christchurch Technical College, then for trade examinations and carrying on to tertiary and an NZCE in Production Engineering. In the mid 90’s he updated with a Diploma in Business Studies. He has enjoyed a long career in manufacturing and has worked in the Glass, Metals and Plastic Industries, and was the NZ Operations Manager for an international plastics company for many years.
In the community he has been involved with the coaching of swimming and surf life saving,and has served on the British New Zealand Trade Council, and the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce Board.
Dr Neil Barns
Dr Neil Barns is the Chief Executive of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), having commenced this role in July 2006. He was previously the Chief Executive of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) from March 2002 until July 2006.
Prior to taking up the CEO role at NMIT, Dr Barns was Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology for almost two years. From 1993 to March 2000 he held positions as Lecturer, Senior Lecture, and Director of Business Studies at the Christchurch Teachers College. He also taught in the post-primary school sector for ten years prior to that.
Hector Matthews
Hector is from the iwi Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri in Northland and is married with three children. Hector has been the chair of council at CPIT since 2002 and is also the chair of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi, a total immersion Māori language school in Spreydon, Christchurch.
Hector is the Executive Director of Māori and Pacific Health at the Canterbury District Health Board. Hector holds a post graduate diploma in Telecommunications from Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, tutors in the use of taiaha (traditional Māori long club) and is a Shodan (1st Degree black belt) in Seido Karate.
Vicki Blyth
Vicki Blyth is Communications Director for State Owned Enterprise, Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, a position she has held since 2003. Vicki has worked in media, public relations and communications for more than 30 years in both the public and private sector in New Zealand and the UK. She is a board member of the South Island New Zealand Chapter of the International Associations of Business Communicators and has been a trustee of the CPIT Foundation since 2002
Carl Pascoe
Carl has 30 years experience in educational, community, directorships, business management and consultancy roles within a wide range of organisations at both local and national levels. He has run his own consultancy business for 17 years. The consultancy specialises in assisting people to shape and develop values based, challenging, and profitable, exciting and fun organisations. His focus is on creative thinking, strategic direction setting, negotiation, mediation, networking and organisational change. He uses a unique style of facilitative and experiential processes.
Janice Fredric
Janice is Chief Executive of national and trans-Tasman law firm Duncan Cotterill. She is a Chartered Accountant, has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Master of Business Administration degree. Janice is a member of the Institute of Directors and the New Zealand Institute of Management.
In addition to her role as a Trustee of the CPIT Foundation, Janice was a director of YHA New Zealand for six years, including two as Chairman and was a director of the Canterbury Flames netball franchise for two years.
Karen Lewis
Karen is employed by the Accor Group of Hotels, as an accountant based at their Christchurch Accounting Centre. She has previously worked in hotels both in New Zealand and overseas for a number of years. She has spent about 13 years in the tertiary education sector gaining a PhD in accountancy from the University of Canterbury. Her thesis examined the business history of the Mount Cook Group, a major private sector company in NZ tourism up until 1990. Following completion of her PhD, she worked for 4 years at the University of Canterbury as a lecturer in accounting. Karen has served for 5 years as a director on the National Board of Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand Inc., where she also served on the audit and risk committee.
Scott Whitaker
Scott was born and raised in Christchurch. Scott left Christchurch after completing his studies at Canterbury University in 1995, spending time living in Perth, London and Auckland before returning with his family 2004. Scott is a lawyer with Duncan Cotterill, a longstanding Christchurch firm which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007. Scott practices predominantly in corporate and commercial law and property law and has particular specialty in finance and banking. He has acted for a number of finance companies and for major New Zealand banks as well as a wide range of companies and property investors.
Jeff Ah Kuoi
Jeff Ah Kuoi is Quality Management Coordinator and Special Projects Coordinator at PEETO - The Multi Cultural Learning Centre. He has over 15 years of experience in teaching and management and consulting. He started his career as a teacher of ESOL in the primary school sector, worked for several years with the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs managing the education and training portfolios for the Christchurch District. In 1998 he became involved in the tertiary sector initially in a teaching capacity tutoring in foundation level business computing. In 2002 he joined PEETO as their Quality Management Coordinator and Special Projects Manager, a role he currently holds.