Six new Fellows appointed

The role of a Fellow at St Paul’s was established in the early 1980s. A Fellow has the same responsibilities of the school’s original Founders; Fellows are guardians of the school and if the Board should ever have difficulty in functioning then the Fellows will step in to assist. 

This year we had the privilege of inducting six new Fellows to the school:

PETER GILBERT: Physical Education Teacher, HOD PE, Housemaster, Director of Extra-Curricular Activities from 1979-2019

Peter Gilbert’s association as a teacher at St Paul’s Collegiate School started in September 1979 when he was appointed as a Physical Education teacher, having come from a role at Fairfield Intermediate and completing his primary school teaching training at the Hamilton Teachers’ College. Within twelve months (i.e. September 1980) he was promoted to Head of Department, Physical Education, a position which he held until he handed the baton to Mr Craig Hardman in 2011. He also held the title of Sports Coordinator (1992) and became the DECA (Director of Extra-Curricular Activities) in February 2005 with overall oversight and understanding for coordinating the sporting and cultural cornerstones of our school – a role that he was uniquely skilled for, given his musical interest and guitar-playing talent. The successive Good Vibrations concerts which Peter initiated in 2003 and oversaw to showcase the ‘crème de la crème’ and ‘sensational’ musical talent within our school, consistently rose in both quality and entertainment value. Peter and Gay were pleased and proud that their son, Ben had the opportunity of being a Collegian in Hall House (2001 -2005) before going on to a law career. For five months in the second half of 2009, Peter took on the role of Acting Deputy Headmaster, while Chris Luman was Acting as Headmaster prior to my arrival. As a result, in 2010, we appointed him to our senior leadership group and Peter stepped up, a number of times, as Acting Assistant Headmaster to cover for senior staff absences (such as for my own for Cancer treatment in the first half of 2015), until he was officially promoted to permanent Assistant Headmaster status in 2018, with particular oversight for student lateness to school, detentions, teacher relief, school ball and pastoral support for our Te Amorangi scholars. For a sustained period, Peter had a huge and prominent role within our pastoral care team. Over a 25-year period, he had a strong affiliation with the Day House community; firstly in 1984 as Assistant Housemaster in Hamilton House, then for ten years (September 1988-1998) as Housemaster of Hall House (which had three different homes during his tenure and at its peak reached 120 boys); then from 1999 when he became the founding Housemaster of Fitchett House – a position he held until March 2005. Over those two and a half decades, Peter gave a huge commitment to the pastoral needs of hundreds of young men, who recognised that he had a genuine interest in them as people, their wellbeing, and individual development. Any of the Houses that Peter was associated with, benefited from his competitiveness, passion, and enthusiasm, as a result, Peter Gilbert’s Houses were always known as tight, fun places to be a part of. A keen rugby man, who played for Waikato RFU, was a Junior All Black (1972-1974) and an All Black Trialist (1972, 1973, and 1975), Peter was the coach of the 1st XV side (1980-1984) achieving memorable wins during his tenure over more highly fancied New Zealand and Australian secondary schools. 

Peter has coached and managed successful title-winning junior rugby sides in the Waikato Secondary Schools competition. A long-serving Master-inCharge of tennis, a game that he was equally skilled at playing, Peter was particularly proud of the team’s recent success in the co-ed division of NZSS championships. Over his incredible 40 year tenure, he was viewed as the master of ‘reinventions’ for the huge number of roles (and titles) that he took on within the school – HOD, Housemaster, DECA, Master-in-Charge of sporting codes, coordinator of the school swimming sports, Assistant Headmaster, the list is almost endless. While his physical appearance evolved significantly over the years (from long blonde hair, sunglasses, and stubbies of the 1980s), Peter was always up for a new challenge. Very much an optimist, he was fun to work alongside, his institutional knowledge difficult to beat, he was generous to a fault, loved his job and the school, and has definitely been missed since his retirement in December 2019. It is extremely appropriate given his extraordinary service to our school that Peter Gilbert is honoured by being made a Fellow at St Paul’s Collegiate School.

 CHRIS WYNN: Collegian – Clark 1988-1992, GAP Tutor, Instructor, Teacher, Chief Instructor and Director at the Tihoi Venture campus from 2006-2016

Chris Wynn’s first association with St Paul’s Collegiate was as a student when he entered Clark House in 1988 from Kaitao Intermediate School in Rotorua. During his five years in Hamilton, as outlined in his testimonial, “he proved a cheerful, dependable, even-tempered, extremely likeable person of outstanding character’ – a description that could later in life, have aptly characterized his leadership at Tihoi. Chris became a House Prefect in Clark, being given the responsibility of being in charge of the junior boarders. An able sportsman, he played two seasons for the 1st XI cricket side and represented St Paul’s 1st XV. Chris gained a B Bursary in his final academic year. In Year 10, Chris got his first taste of the opportunities and potential of the Tihoi Venture School when he went down to the western side of Lake Taupo as part of Intake One in 1989. Unsurprisingly, he thrived in the environment, graduating as Best Boy in the intake and making his well-known reference (in his 44-hour solo journal entry) of an aspiration to be Director there at a point in the future. Upon leaving St Paul’s in 1992, Chris spent his first two years out of school as a Tutor at Tihoi (in 1992 and 1993). After a period of tertiary study and gaining his teaching qualification he returned as a teacher/instructor for three years (1999-2001) and after a brief break in 2002, returned as Deputy Director/Chief Instructor (2003-2005) and then as Co-Director with his then wife, Cyn Smith from 2006-2016, continuing to live onsite while operating his helicopter business after 2016, while providing Cyn with any support she needed for her five-year stint as sole Director. Chris only left the Tihoi Venture campus in October 2020 – having almost lived continuously onsite for 28 of the past 30 years. In the case of Chris Wynn, however, his contribution to the Venture School wasn’t so much the longevity or the stability he provided but the amazing passion he had for the outdoors and the programme, his huge understanding of the workings of the Venture campus and his great affinity through his own personal experience for the boys and what they were going through. It must have brought great joy and pride to both Chris and Cyn when their son Blue (Collegian of Sargood House, 2015 -2018) took part in the Tihoi programme in Intake 2 of 2016. A highly skilled outdoorsman, at one stage Chris had his NZOIA Alpine One, Kayak One, and Rock One qualification, Bush at Level Two and was NZOIA’s Bush Assessor for candidates wishing to seek the NZ Outdoor Instructors Association qualification, indicating the respect which Chris was held within the wider industry/sector.

 Chris took huge pride in the presentation of the Centre. Progressively transforming areas of blackberry, gorse and scrub into the parklike surrounding that we benefit from the use of today. With amazing attention to detail, pathways, lighting and large trees were gradually tended to. The assault course, rope course, Frank’s House, the expansion of the Centre with the purchase of land from the neighbouring Armer property and the first new classroom all had Chris’ mark on them. A strong proponent of sailing, he was unafraid to modernize the programme to better meet the needs of the boys with the addition of the Canadian canoes, seakayaking, and mountain-biking. In a potentially high-risk environment, staff never felt under pressure to proceed with an activity that had the potential to adversely impact on student welfare. During his 10-year tenure as Co-Director, Chris lived and breathed the outdoor venture campus. Dedicated and devoted to the goals and ideals of the Centre, he had the ability and drive to see something that needed doing and just get on and get it sorted with the minimum of fuss. To so many of the boys, he was the male role model who sat them down for a chat when they were in danger of not maximizing the opportunities of their Tihoi journey. Possessing a great sense of humour and a ready laugh, he certainly was not viewed as ‘a push over’. Rather he was viewed as a ‘marshmallow’ – a little crusty on the outside but undoubtedly soft, kind and supportive on the inside. A great bloke in action and as a role model, Chris has given a significant portion of his life to Tihoi and the boys who have been influenced by its programme. The Director’s role is more of a lifestyle than a job and we have greatly appreciated the committed way that Chris Wynn has taken to various key roles he has had at the Venture campus and he very much deserves the honour of being a Fellow at today’s ceremony.

CYN SMITH: Teacher, Instructor, and Co-Director of the Tihoi Venture School from 2006-2020

Cyn Smith’s association as a teacher at St Paul’s Collegiate started in 1997 when she was employed as an outdoor instructor/teacher at the Tihoi Venture campus. She came seeking employment but left in 1999 having secured a husband and great life partner in Chris Wynn. In 2000, Cyn utilized her Bachelor of Parks, Recreation and Sport Management from Lincoln University, as a lecturer in Sports, Fitness, and Recreation at Waiariki Institute of Technology at Rotorua; from 2003-2005 was HOD of Physical Education and Senior Dean at Reporoa College; before in 2006 taking up the HOD of PE and Health at Rotorua Girls’ High School. However, with the resignation of long-serving and highly respected Directors, John and Christine Furminger, Cyn and Chris moved back to Tihoi where they took up the joint leadership of the Venture campus. As Co-Directors, over a 10-year period (i.e. 2006-2016), they split the six main areas of responsibility evenly, with Cyn having oversight for the day-to-day running of the campus; the academic programme and the pastoral care of students – including the liaison with parents. While for an additional four and a half years (2016-2020) Cyn took responsibility for all six key aspects of Tihoi as sole Director (adding in plant development and maintenance, staff and outdoor pursuit oversight to her list of duties). An action woman (i.e. in the manner in which she carried out her Director duties over a 15-year period, the way she lives her life and the manner in which she embraces physical challenges), Cyn led repeated groups of energetic 14-year old boys by example through physical challenges. An able endurance athlete herself, while at Tihoi, Cyn was regularly involved in half and full marathons, swimming, cycling and running events such as the Coast-to-Coast but most inspirational was her completion of the NZ Full Iron Man (4.2km swim, 180 km bike ride and 42km marathon – all in one day). A human dynamo, Cyn thrived on pressure and challenges; she revamped the academic programme to include the motivational opportunity of laying a positive platform and foundation for their NCEA Level One certificate the following year; she was incredibly thorough and proactive in her digital and personal communication with parents and caregivers, trying to put herself into their position in order to reduce the natural anxiety of having their son living away from home and their families for 18 weeks by keeping families well abreast of what their sons were doing at any point in the programme; she proved very efficient and thorough in the completion of the various aspects and duties of her role; extremely hardworking and committed, always looking for the best outcome for students and her staff team, often at the considerable personal sacrifice of time and energy for herself and her family.

Throughout her tenure of leadership, Cyn always presented a bubbly, positive person, with a smile and a great sense of humour and fun, which was an infectious influence on so many of those around her. Given the full-on nature of the role, running the Tihoi programme in partnership is hard enough but doing so in a solo capacity takes a person with real drive, determination and commitment. For 15 years we were fortunate to have such a person in Cyn Smith. Cyn worked hard to change her management style to suit the needs of her staff and continually maintained a focus on keeping the Tihoi programme relevant and future-focused to suit changing student needs. She proved unafraid to learn and to adapt. The high staff retention during her tenure illustrated her willingness to be collaborative in working towards the goals of Tihoi. Cyn contribution over the past 15 years has been massive. Parents have felt their sons have been safe, both physically and emotionally; they have felt well informed and really brought into the vision and goals of this game-changing programme. We owe Cyn a massive debt of gratitude, it seems only appropriate that Cyn Smith is honoured by being made a Fellow of St Paul’s Collegiate School.

GREGG BROWN: Trustee 2011-2020 and Board Chairman April 2014-2018

Gregg Brown’s first association with St Paul’s Collegiate School was as a parent, when he and his wife, Suzanne’s eldest of three boys, Jackson, started at the school in 2010. In 2011, Gregg was invited to join the Waikato Anglican College Trust Board (i.e. the same year as current Chairman, Mr Andrew Johnson, also joined the governance body). Gregg’s two younger sons, Callum and Louis have also gone through St Paul’s, with all three boys having been in School House. Callum has just completed his Commerce degree through the University of Otago and has started with Deloitte Hamilton in corporate finance. Louis is studying law at Otago and Jackson is at the Maritime School in Auckland completing his Mate/ Masters Diploma after involvement in the ski industry. Waikato born and bred, Gregg was educated at Hamilton Boys’ High School before going on to the University of Waikato where he completed a Bachelor of Management Studies. In 1993, he became a Chartered Accountant. His first jobs were working for Earnest and Young in Wellington and Auckland, where he started as an auditor, moved into management consulting, and then later performance improvement consulting. In 1993, he moved to work in his family’s business, Aber Limited, taking over as CEO/Managing Director and broadening the product range of indoor and outdoor energyrelated appliances (taking ownership of leading brands such as Gas Mate, Kiwi Camping and Kent). Gregg and Suzanne’s business sees them travelling extensively. They were one of the early New Zealand businesses to trade extensively with China. Today Gregg runs a highly successful company that is a leading wholesale and distribution business specializing in home and lifestyle consumer goods, employing over 35 staff, with a turnover of $25+million per annum.

Upon joining the Board, Gregg worked first to reinvigorate the school’s Foundation. In April 2014, he was selected to lead the WACT Board. At the time, the school roll was in a healthy state with 675 students but there was a real need for an external cash injection to allow it to move to the next stage of the campus upgrade. In June 2014, he launched the capital campaign and at the same time actively supported the establishment of the Agribusiness partnership with Principal partners, DairyNZ and Beef+ Lamb, and ten other Business partners. Gregg recognised and prioritized the important benefits of the valuable connections and relationships that this innovative initiative fostered and facilitated. Working closely with the new Chairman of the Foundation, Mr John Jackson, both the capital campaign and the Agribusiness initiative proved great success stories for the school. Important seeding funds were raised; to complete the Gallagher Centre of Excellence in Agribusiness, to do the much overdue earthquake strengthening upgrade and expansion of the Williams Boarding House, modernize and expand the Mary Hornsby Music Performance Centre. The Year 13 construction class built the first of the new classrooms for Tihoi, two one-bedroom residences for staff living on-site, and ambitiously three new Mathematics classrooms, a new toilet block, and an IT support area for B block. The junior BYOD programme shifted from Ipads to Chromebooks and the ICT platform and infrastructure got a major overhaul and upgrade. In 2015, the school’s catering was taken over from Spotless and brought in-house. In 2016, the huge benefits of the Tihoi Venture programme were spotlighted on a very favourable TV1 Sunday document. While in 2017, the second HULA House, which offered our Year 13 girls independent living opportunities and a modernization and significant expansion of the Clark Boarding House was completed.

Gregg impressively juggled his huge business commitments, including regular overseas travel, with the effective leadership of the Board. Consistently proving very accessible, highly personable, and approachable, he brought the efficient workings of the Board to a new level. Gregg proved hugely committed, enthusiastic and passionate throughout his time as Chairman. After he stepped down, Gregg remained as a Trustee until April 2020 and since then has assisted both on the Finance Committee during the COVID pandemic and continued to sit on the Board’s Disciplinary Subcommittee. Gregg remains an active supporter of the school’s plans to create a community Hockey Club for the northeast of Hamilton, based at our school. Incredibly generous, Gregg has regularly donated or supplied, at a substantial discount, barbeques, gas infinities, and equipment for the school’s use. We are hugely indebted to Gregg Brown for his outstanding contribution to our school over the past decade and he is a deserved recipient of becoming a Fellow.

PHILIP MORGAN QC: Collegian – Williams House 1968-1972, Board Member – June 2006-current, Board Chairman – 2009-2014

Philip Morgan’s first association with St Paul’s Collegiate School was as a student when he entered Williams House in 1968 from Oraka Heights Primary School in Putaruru. In his five years in Hamilton, Philip was involved in rugby (i.e. played for the 2nd XV side); represented the school at the Waikato Secondary Schools’ Sailing Champs; also played hockey and sang in the school choir at regional festivals. He studies largely Social Sciences in the final year; Geography, History, English, Japanese, and Biology and graduated with a ‘B Bursary’, having gained his University Entrance accredited. In his school reports, he was viewed as “a serious and conscientious student” who proved a solid, dependable citizen as shown by his selection as a House Prefect in Williams House. Upon leaving school, Philip studied law at Auckland University, graduating with an LLB in 1997, and was admitted to the Bar later that year. After periods of employment in law firms in Palmerston North, London and Auckland, he returned to Hamilton in 1983 where he worked as a Crown Prosecutor in the Crown Solicitors office. He went to the Independent Bar in 1998 and in June 2003 was given the honour of being appointed a Silk or Queens Counsellor. Philip has represented clients from all areas of life, in many high profile civil and criminal proceedings – including being the Crown prosecutor for the re-trial of Mark Lundy in 2015. Philip has had an illustrious law career and as such, is one of the school’s most prominent Collegians. Wanting to give back to St Paul’s, in 2006 he was invited to join the Board of the Waikato Anglican College Trust, at a time when his youngest child, David was at the School (Collegian – Hamilton House 2005-2009), also having had both his daughters, Katharine (Collegian – Harington 2001-2002), and Olivia (Collegian – Harington 2006-2007) attend St Paul’s.

In 2009, he took over as Chairman at a fairly tumultuous time in the School’s history; with a falling roll, and a fiscal deficit, the lack of a permanent Headmaster in the second half of the year and staff morale and general community confidence at a low ebb. During his five years as Chairman, he oversaw a turn around in the School; as the roll grew from 565 to 675 students; there was a major commitment to a range of capital projects; including the resiting and the installation of changing rooms and grandstand on the Collegians Pavilion, an expansion and upgrade of the reception and offices within the Management Centre, an expansion and upgrade of the Year 9, 10, and 11 dormitory areas within Clark House, an expansion of both the dining room and Sargood House, the heating of the swimming pool and the introduction of the Swimming Club; at Tihoi the replacement of Frank’s House, the construction of a new Directors’ residence, the upgrade of the playing field and the purchase of 15 acres of additional land for the Venture campus. Funded through roll growth, these capital projects help to create a sense of optimism and a belief that the school was gathering positive momentum, which in turn lifted the confidence of students, staff, and parents alike. St Paul’s Collegiate was viewed as on a roll under Philip Morgan’s leadership of the school governance body. Behind the scenes, Philip worked hard to create a more structured and thorough approach to governance through the establishment of subcommittees, to have greater oversight over finances, serious student misconduct, and scholarship/financial assistance for families. Personable and approachable, Leaders of Curriculum and staff with key responsibilities were encouraged to report to the Board on a regular basis.

At the end of Philip’s tenure as Chairman, he has remained on the Board, providing invaluable leadership to the Disciplinary Subcommittee and legal advice and support as the Board has navigated the challenges posed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. His presence has provided the Board with the benefit of his huge institutional knowledge, wise and valued counsel which is hugely appreciated and valued in meetings. With the appointment of the new Headmaster, Mr Ben Skeen, Mr Morgan has agreed to stay on until at least 2022 to provide continuity during the changeover of school leadership. We have greatly appreciated the positive support that Julie has given Philip and the School community to enable him to spend so much of his time and energy on St Paul’s matters. Philip Morgan, due to his outstanding leadership of the school, in a period of great uncertainty, is very deserved of his recognition of selection as a Fellow.

MALCOLM HILL: Commerce Teacher, Day boy, and girls Housemaster, Assistant Headmaster (or First Assistant as it was known then)

Malcolm Hill’s association as a teacher at St Paul’s Collegiate School started in September 1966. Malcolm had been an accountant in a government department and had become disillusioned with the bureaucracy. He and his wife, Lorna were invited to morning tea at Pat and Diana Plant’s Sargood Housemaster residence and 90 minutes into this pleasant social occasion, an older gentleman arrived. He asked Mrs Hill if he “could borrow your husband” and soon after, one of the school’s most respected Headmasters, Mr Reg Hornsby had offered Malcolm a job as firstly a History and Geography teacher. In 1967, he created the Commerce department and ran it with great enthusiasm. Malcolm had never had any formal training as a teacher but almost immediately proved extremely effective and successful at it, staying at St Paul’s for just under 30 years. Born in Kent, Max was a descendent of Roland Hill who had introduced penny postage and as Postmaster General in the United Kingdom, introduced the postal service. At the time of his appointment to the teaching service, Malcolm was working for the Traffic Department in Hamilton. During his tenure, both of Lorna and Malcolm’s sons attended St Paul’s – Laurence (Collegian Hamilton House 1976-1979) and Adrian (Collegian Hall House 1979-1983). A big man in stature and heart, surprisingly he ended up buying the Reg Hornsby mini when the Headmaster stepped down in 1969 – a gamble given its past history and the way Mr Hornsby had driven the vehicle. With Peter Hill on the staff known as “mini”, Malcolm Hill took up the nickname of “maxi”, to distinguish the physical difference between the two of them. In his 29 years at the school, Malcolm made a massive pastoral contribution to St Paul’s. In 1968, he was appointed to be Housemaster of Hamilton House and in 1973, he established a new Day House – Hall (which was located where the Science block is today and had been the school’s first kitchen and then the temporary location of the fledgling Clark House). Interestingly Mr Hill believed that the day boys identified more with the school if they stayed for dinner – so 70% of the 67 Hall House boys ate evening meals at school in 1973. In 1980, Malcolm’s extraordinary organisational skills and leadership were recognised with his appointment as First Assistant (i.e. effectively the third in line in the leadership of the school). Malcolm formed a very formidable partnership with the Deputy Headmaster of the time, Mr Rod McMoran. Malcolm worked alongside two Headmasters; Mr Michael Lawrence and Mr Steve Cole, both of whom commented on his efficiency and attention to detail, In his key role in the school, Malcolm liaised with the qualifications authority, completed the annual school timetable, oversaw discipline, was the treasurer for long periods of the highly profitable Tuckshop and Parents Association, while at the same time teaching a fairly heavy workload of three Accounting and Economics classes.

An incredibly formidable teacher, Malcolm was hugely respected by his students who worked productively and engaged in almost total silence in his lessons. While the staff were in awe of his brilliant organizational ability. While he took the role seriously, Malcolm also had a great sense of humour and he and Lorna took an active part in socializing with a homogenous tight group of staff. It wasn’t surprising that with the introduction of girls to St Paul’s, he was charged, in 1985, to use his nurturing skills to look after the first five girls to attend this school (all day girls), fondly known as “Hill’s Angels” (i.e. after the popular TV programme of the time, Charlie’s Angels), Malcolm looked after a growing number of girls, in what we now know as the Reynolds Room until Harington House was born. In his three decades of outstanding commitment to St Paul’s, Malcolm was fully involved in the corporate life of the school; coaching Colts Hockey, Football, and 1st XI Cricket sides, whilst being involved in Debating, Young Enterprise, and Junior Drama and other co-curricular aspects of St Paul’s. Malcolm, in the “Venture in Faith” the book written for the 50th Reunion of the School, it is quoted that during his time at St Paul’s, ‘he was viewed as a man of strong opinion, expressed with great certainty and woe betide anyone that criticized any aspect of St Paul’s administration’ but he backed this loyalty and pride up with an incredible work ethic, great sense of humour, presence, and visibility at every event on offer. Highly professional, Malcolm Hill was an absolute rock, a steady pair of hands who had a huge presence, not just in a physical sense. It is a great honour to recognise a man who embodied so many of St Paul’s values during his tenure at our school, with this Fellows award.