Ron Carter (businessman)

Sir Ron Carter
ONZ KNZM
Carter in 2016
Born
Ronald Powell Carter

(1935-06-17) 17 June 1935 (age 89)
Auckland, New Zealand
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
OccupationCivil engineer
SpouseDianne Lewell Oxspring[1]

Sir Ronald Powell Carter ONZ KNZM (born 17 June 1935) is a retired New Zealand businessman.

Early life and family

Carter was born in Auckland in 1935, the son of Sybil Muriel (née Townsend) and Eric Powell Carter, a mechanic.[2][3] He was educated at Auckland Grammar School from 1948.[4] In 2013 he described his time at the school: "In all my days at school, although I was in a high-achieving class, I did not cross the platform once in my five years at Auckland Grammar to receive a class or a subject prize."[5]

Carter then attended Auckland University College, graduating in 1958 with a Master of Engineering degree in civil engineering.[6] His thesis was titled The effect of stress on the longitudinal wave velocity of an ultrasonic pulse in concrete.[7]

Beca Group

Carter joined the Beca engineering company in 1959, becoming a partner in 1965 and managing director in 1986.[8] He was chairman of the Beca group until 2002.[9]

Corporate governance and other roles

Carter has been a member, director or chairperson of many boards, including:

  • Founding chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (1992–98)[10]
  • National Infrastructure Advisory Board[11]
  • Electricity Corporation of New Zealand[11]
  • Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand[11]
  • Air New Zealand (1998–2007)[12]
  • Trust Power Limited[8]
  • Aetna[8]
  • Sir Peter Blake Trust (until 2011)[8]
  • Chair of the Selection Panel for the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards[8]
  • Patron of the Committee For Auckland[13]
  • Developed and co-founded the Iwi Business Consortium in 2009[14]
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch earthquakes[10]
  • Independent representative to the Board of the 2011 Rugby World Cup[15]
  • Director Rural Equities Ltd.[16]

Honours

Carter was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to engineering and business administration, in the 1998 New Year Honours,[17] and made a member of the Order of New Zealand in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.[18]

In 2001, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering by the University of Auckland.[19]

Carter has also received the following honours:

References

  1. ^ Downes, Siobhan (20 August 2014). "Sir Ron Carter humbled by top honour". Stuff. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Births". New Zealand Herald. 18 June 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. ^ Electoral District of Roskill: general roll of persons entitled to vote for Members of Parliament of New Zealand. 1935. p. 39.
  4. ^ "Sir Ron Carter visits Grammar". Auckland Grammar School. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Realising your potential is key to success". The New Zealand Herald. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  6. ^ "New Zealand university graduates 1870–1961: Ca–Cl". Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Library search". University of Auckland. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Sir Ron Carter, KNZM (Chair)". Sir Peter Blake Trust. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Highest honour for 'call me Ron'". Stuff. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Sir Ron Carter receives highest honour". Radio New Zealand News. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "About the Commissioners". Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Sir Ron Carter retires from Air NZ". NBR. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  13. ^ Carter, Ron (25 April 2011). "Sir Ron Carter: Let's all get on board Waka Maori". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Korowai rewards for Sir Ron Carter's work". Auckland Grammar School. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  15. ^ "NZ's highest honour 'came out of the blue' - Sir Ron". TVNZ. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Sir Ron Carter supports BACS". BACS. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  17. ^ "New Year honours list 1998". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1997. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Sir Ron Carter receives highest honour". Radio NZ. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  19. ^ "Sir Ron Carter". University of Auckland. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Past laureates". Business Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 February 2023.