Massey recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours

Ten Massey graduates are among this year's recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours, including a recent Chancellor and a current member of the University Council.

Knighthoods have been bestowed on Wellington filmmaker Richard Taylor and Auckland business leader David Levene. Sir Richard studied visual communication and design at the Wellington Polytechnic before its merger with Massey in 1999, graduating with a Bachelor of Design in 1987. This year he one of the inaugural recipients of the University's distinguished alumni awards. He and the team at Weta Workshops, which he co-founded and directs, have won five Academy Awards. His honour was for services to film.

Sir David, who ran the family paint business for four decades and turned it into a national chain before selling the company in 1994, is known as a philanthropist. He established a scholarship fund at Massey and, in 1995, was awarded an honorary doctorate in literature by the University.

Auckland businesswoman and member of the University Council Dr Alison Paterson is a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business. Dr Paterson chairs the council's audit and risk committee and was last year awarded an honorary doctorate for her outstanding contribution to New Zealand business.

Former University Chancellor Dr Nigel Gould, who now chairs the Massey University Foundation, the University's charity, was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and the community. Dr Gould, from Wellington, last month received an honorary doctorate in commerce from the University.

Dr Stuart Middleton, of Auckland, who has a Diploma in Education (1973), a Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching (1979) and PhD in Education (2003), was also made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education.

Dr Arnold Bryant, of Hamilton, who graduated with a Master of Agricultural Science in 1962, and with a PhD in Agriculture and Horticulture in 1969, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the dairy industry.

Dr John Matthews, of Auckland, who graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science in 1958, was made a companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to medicine and the community.

Bruce Bird, a police inspector from Manukau, who graduated with the a Bachelor of Business Studies in 2002, received a Queen's Service Medal for services to the New Zealand Police.

Margery Clucas, of Ashburton, who graduated with Bachelor of Education in 1981 and Master of Education Administration n 1992, received a Queen's Service Medal for services to the community.