Bruce Martin, a well known education and management consultant, has been appointed as Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust/Ruawharo Ta-u-Rangi.

Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott has stood down as Chair after leading the transformation of the Trust. Mayor Arnott will remain a Board member.

Bruce was Chief Executive of the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) from 1991-2004 and more recently has worked as a consultant particularly as senior advisor to the Tertiary Advisory Monitoring Unit (TAMU).

In the past Mr Martin has been involved with the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITPNZ) in variety of roles including National President, Vice President and Executive Committee Member. He has taken an active involvement in the community including President – Rotary
Club of Greenmeadows, Trustee – Regional Indoor Sports and Events Centre and Director – Food Hawkes Bay.

The Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust/Ruawharo Ta-u-Rangi is responsible for the guardianship and care of an extensive collection and regional archive housed at the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery. The collection of national significance includes Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand Social History, Toanga Maori and Fine Arts, as well as photographs, archival documents, publications and reference books.

The Trust will be working closely with the Napier City Council on the development of the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery to ensure the ongoing care and display of the Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust/Ruawharo Ta-u-Rangi collection will be appropriately housed to museum standards for future Hawke’s Bay generations to access and enjoy.

Other current board members on the Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust/Ruawharo Ta-u-Rangi are Lawrence Yule; Mayor of Hastings, Barbara Arnott; Mayor of Napier, Ngahiwi Tomoana; Chairman of Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, Marc Nel; President of the Friends of the Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust.