Our Board
Vision Manawatu is governed by a board of trustees elected for a term of 3 years on a rotational basis and meet bi-monthly.
Trustee vacancies are advertised publicly and applicants are appointed by our external Appointment Panel. This process ensures Vision maintains a strong board of trustees with a range of skills and experience.
Charlie Pedersen
Charlie Pedersen, acting Chairman of the Vision Manawatu board, was the National President of Federated Farmers and has extensive experience in lobbying and advocacy.
Mr Pedersen is a farmer and has a background in education and the teaching of children with special needs. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Farmsafe New Zealand.
Charles Giliam
Charles Giliam emigrated from South Africa to New Zealand in 2000 and worked in Auckland as Financial Controller for Thompson Nutrition for three years.
Charles then work for Fieldair Holdings as Financial Controller. Three years later took on the role of General Manager of the Group, which is owned by Freightways, and moved to Palmerston North. Mr Giliam lives near Levin.
Steve Davey
Steve Davey is District Manager Business Banking for ANZ and has worked with many of the region's most successful businesses.
He has worked in banking for 25 years and is also a board member of NZ Business Week and of Youngheart Manawatu, the local National League Football Club.
Robin Congdon
Robin Congdon is from the UK, where he was Managing Director of a large group of companies involved in marketing and communications, conference and event management and video production.
He has invested in several businesses in the region and has been involved in building residential properties.
Janneke van Wagtendonk
Ms. Wagtendonk trained as an agricultural scientist and has a Master of Science in Animal Physiology from the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands.
She joined the Fonterra Research Centre (FRC) in Palmerston North as Operations Manager in 2005 and in her current role as Group Research and Technical Operations Manager, she leads development and delivery of shared research and technical capabilities and functions across the company.
Anne Podd
Anne Podd is an information manager with experience in the research, education and health sectors. During her nine years as a Palmerston North City Councillor Anne chaired the Economic Development Committee and the Planning and Policy Committee.
Since retiring from her city councillor role, Anne has continued to take an active interest in the city. She is currently a Te Manawa board member and the community representative on the MidCentral District Health Board's Clinical Board and Credentialing Committee. Anne rejoined Fonterra Research Centre in June 2009 where she works with researchers to improve information management processes and systems.
