Meet the Board

Governance of the Urban Task Force (UTF) is provided by a leadership committee dedicated to delivering our key strategic priorities:

Growth
Governance & Leadership
Connections

Vision
Education & Economy
Iwi Partnerships

Civic & Community Facilities
Funding & Investment

UTF works closely with Ngai Te Rangi and Ngati Ranginui, who both have representatives on our leadership committee.

UTF works in collaborative partnership with other local key stakeholder associations including:

Priority One, Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, Tauranga Maona Museum Trust and Property Council.

Scott Adams

Chairperson, Founding Member

Scott Adams - Chair

Scott is the Managing Director and General Manager of Carrus group. He is responsible for the financial performance and day-to-day management of all projects throughout New Zealand, including engineering and design, plan changes, resource consents, and achieving commercial outcomes.

Omea Willows

Vice Chairperson

Omea Willows - Vice Chair

Omea has extensive experience in the commercial property sector, having worked in the industry for over 10 years focusing on client engagement with previous experience in the legal sector. She is recognised for her leadership skills and focus on continual improvement.

Scott McKenzie

Vice Chairperson, Founding Member

Scott McKenzie - Vice Chair, Founding Member

Scott has a wealth of commercial and leadership experience in diverse businesses across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, including ASB Bank in New Zealand, the Bank of New Zealand and the Royal Bank of Scotland in London.

Adam Ross

Vice Chairperson

Adam Ross - Vice Chair

With over 20 years’ experience in commercial business development, Adam manages the big picture for Sabre and its related business entities. Throughout his career he’s acquired skills across a broad range of industries including property development, construction, product design, manufacturing and retail. Adam now focuses on the overall management and delivery of projects for Sabre’s clients. His strategic nature means he’s always looking for the right angle and opportunity to bring different parties together to collaborate.

Steve Cutfield

Founding Member

Steve Cutfield - Founding Member

Steve is recognised for his ability to identify, design, and deploy innovative techniques and solutions that result in the improvement of process and delivery efficiency, while driving commercial viability, quality results, and sustainable outcomes.

Peter McCawe

Founding Member

Peter McCawe - Founding Member

Peter is an experienced construction professional who has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. He has played a large part in Tauranga’s built environment having been involved in many of the cities large scale commercial developments.

Buddy Mikaere

Founding Member

Buddy Mikaere - Founding Member

Buddy Mikaere is a professional historian by qualification and specialises in Maori consultation and associated activities. For over twenty-five years, Buddy has facilitated Maori consultation for many development projects working closely with government departments, local government, large corporate companies, iwi entities and private clients.

Paora Stanley

Founding Member

Paora Stanley - Founding Member

Chief Executive of Ngāi te Rangi
Ngāi Te Rangi is an iwi of the Mataatua waka whose founding ancestors are Te Rangihouhiri and Tamapahore. Paora is responsible for the Ngāi Te Rangi Settlement Trust.

Jared Baronian

Member

Jared Baronian - Member

Jared has had leading roles in billion-dollar deals from energy mergers to warships and satellite programs, was a founding member of a disruptive geospatial mapping technology now used globally, and has regularly travelled the globe working in Europe and North America. More recently he driven the development of retirement villages, aged care facilities, medical, retail, accommodation, and residential subdivisions at the Sanderson Group.

Rachel Emerson

Member

Rachel Emerson - Member

Rachel has a strong background in all facets of real estate having worked in a wide spectrum of property roles for retailers, landlords and developers. Roles include Portfolio Leasing National Bank including both new branch rollout and CBD rationalisation, CBD high rise property and portfolio management, shopping centre leasing, development management, industrial land subdivision and sales.

Sean Haynes

Member

Sean Haynes - Member

Sean has extensive experience in property development and business leadership. Having structured and delivered a wide range of developments both locally and internationally he brings in-depth technical knowledge and commercial acumen across the property industry.

Daniel Wetherill

Member

Daniel Wetherill - Member

Daniel brings over a decade of industry expertise. Recognized for his business leadership, technical proficiency, and a commitment to innovation, he has played a vital role, including the Christchurch Rebuild post-earthquake and exploring Virtual Reality Building Inspections.

Georgia Bartlam

Leader Development Scholarship winner

Georgia Bartlam - Leader Development Scholarship winner

As this year’s winner of the UTF Leader Development Scholarship, Georgia is a registered Electrician with a passion for project management. She is currently in her final year pursuing a Bachelor of Business degree in Strategic Management at Waikato University Tauranga, while also working as an Assistant Project Manager.

UTF employs paid executives to undertake the day-to-day operations of the organisation and work with the leadership committee to gather insights, provide advocacy and represent the UTF in its dealings with local and central authorities.

Beyond UTF’s advocacy workstreams, the organisation also hosts an extensive events programme which provides informative and educational networking engagements for members. These include events such as speaker series, site visits to new developments and panel discussions.

UTF’s Board Members are highly dedicated and committed business professionals who bring a combined 230+ years of property industry knowledge and expertise to the organisation.

Get in Touch

Whether you have a question about UTF or anything else, leave us a message and we will get back to you shortly.