New trustees appointed to Taupō's destination marketing board and business enterprise board

Taupō District Council has appointed a new trustee to the Destination Great Lake Taupō (DGLT) board and a new Council Representative to the Enterprise Great Lake Taupō (EGLT) board after long standing Chairman, Seamus O’Sullivan, resigned in June 2011.

Dave Wilks has been appointed as a new trustee of the DGLT board. Mr Wilks has a commercial marketing background including sales, retail and fast moving consumer goods and worked as the General Manager for Tourism Development at Tourism New Zealand from 2001 to 2010. He is currently the Director Commercial at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Geoff Thorp has been appointed as Council Representative to the EGLT board. Mr Thorp has significant qualifications and has held the position of Forestry Consultant for Lake Taupō Forest Management Ltd, Turangi from 2000. He has worked on an exhaustive number of major projects in over ten countries.

Taupō District Council CEO, Rob Williams, says that both appointees have a real passion for the Taupō district. “Both Mr Wilks and Mr Thorp were highly recommended. They are well experienced and qualified for their roles and we look forward to leveraging their knowledge and know-how to build on the current success of the district.”

DGLT is responsible for all destination marketing for the Taupō district, with the board providing governance and support to management. Earlier this year, DGLT became a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) and now operates as a stand alone legal entity. With these recent changes, the board has significant autonomy and responsibility to make decisions that deliver better outcomes for the district’s visitor industry and community.

EGLT is a community-based trust, focused on well-maintained infrastructure, investment in the district and attracting skilled workers to the district. EGLT supports local businesses, provides advice to potential investors and implements projects to support the district’s economy. It is an advocate for district services with other organisations to support the district’s economic goals.