"All are most deserving for their service. Between John, Phil and Paul they have given many years of service to their communities. On behalf of a grateful community thank you for your dedicated and outstanding service. We are very proud of all of you. This will also be a proud moment for your whanau and friends and we hope that you enjoy celebrating this significant milestone with them." - Mayor Dan Gordon.
Citations below from Honours Unit:
CNZM: To be a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, BRAKENRIDGE, Mr John Donald, For services to the New Zealand food and fibre sectors and the merino industry.
Mr John Brakenridge is recognised as the driving-force behind the transformation of the New Zealand merino industry and uniting leaders of New Zealand’s food and fibre sectors, iwi, and government agencies.
Mr Brakenridge was the Co-Founder and Chief Executive of The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) and its predecessor organisations since 1995, bringing more than $500 million in additional value to farmers and brand partners.
Under his leadership, NZM collaborated with forward-thinking wool growers to disrupt traditional industry thinking and systems-based business models, resultantly launching the premiumisation of a previously commodity-driven product. He created a collaborative systems approach for New Zealand fibre with brands such as Icebreaker, Loro Piana, Reda, Allbirds, IKEA, Smartwool and NIKE.
His leadership has driven NZM from $5 million turnover annually to a $203 million turnover organisation with three successive record years of profit, prior to him moving on in early 2023. At this time, he launched the Brakenridge Impact Group, supporting world-leading businesses as they seek out their own aspirations.
In 2012, Mr Brakenridge founded Te Hono, a collaboration between the leaders of the New Zealand food and fibre sector companies, iwi and government agencies into a partnership with Stanford University to focus on shifting New Zealand from a volume to value producer and marketer of products securing high consumer value.
MNZM: To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, HUMPHREYS, Mr Phillip Terence (Phil), For services to people with disabilities and sport.
Mr Phil Humphreys has supported people with physical disabilities on a voluntary basis for 40 years, having become a quadriplegic in 1982.
Mr Humphreys was a Board member of ParaFed Canterbury from 1985 to 2012, serving several years as Chairperson. He used his background as a Navy physical training instructor to assist people with disabilities wanting to take up sport and recreational activities, as well as training disabled athletes nationwide, including Paralympics New Zealand athletes.
He has volunteered for numerous roles at events and helped train officials. He was instrumental in helping bring wheelchair rugby to New Zealand in the early 1990s.
He was Functional Manager Officials on the organising committee of the 2006 Wheelchair Rugby World Championships. He has actively visited schools to give talks and demonstrations on sport for those with physical disabilities and supported new patients at Burwood Spinal Unit with weekly visits. He was a Trustee and Chairperson of Paraloan between 2006 and 2018, an organisation assisting people with disabilities with low interest loans, overseeing software and standards changes.
He was a member of Waimakariri Access Committee from 2011 to 2018, offering accessibility advice for parking and buildings and training for council staff. Mr Humphreys has received several awards, including the Order of Merit from Paralympics New Zealand in 2001.
MNZM To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, RETI, Mr Paul William James, For services to ju-jitsu.
Mr Paul Reti (Ngāpuhi) has contributed to Ju-Jitsu in New Zealand for 56 years. Mr Reti co-established Fuji Ryu Goshindon New Zealand in 1972 and was an instructor holding a black belt, before becoming Head of Style in 1994.
He opened three clubs in the Christchurch region, teaching at Christchurch Arts Centre and the Open Polytechnic. Between 1972 and 2020, he has been promoted from 1st dan to 9th dan, which was awarded by the New Zealand Ju-Jitsu Federation in 2020.
He is regarded as one of the first generation of Fuji Ryu members to be graded black belt in New Zealand and has led the organisation for more than 20 years. Several Canterbury Ju-Jitsu schools evolved out of Fuji Ryu Goshindo, with participants aged from seven to 70.
He has graded many well-regarded Cantabrian Ju-Jitsu enthusiasts with eight martial arts clubs tracing their teaching back to him. He has trained more than 35 black belts across New Zealand. He has taught at national seminars since 2012 and provides tuition and examiner services to several clubs.
Mr Reti was inducted into the New Zealand Martial Arts Hall of Fame and received an Outstanding Service Award by the New Zealand Ju-Jitsu Federation in 2013.