It’s Our City, Inc., a citizens movement, has endorsed the persons listed below based on a process of interviews by our Board, background information, personal history and their views about being able to uphold the following promises:
All of those who we have endorsed have signed up to support these Promises and as a result we are working with these candidates and incumbents to make sure they are elected. This group can clearly change the entire process of governance in Christchurch in a manner that will bring transparency, participation and responsibility back to the rightful owners of this city – you the residents. Our endorsed candidates are:
Bill immigrated to New Zealand in 2003 from Seattle and became a New Zealand citizen in 2007. Bill had a successful management career with Xerox, KNP/BT in The Netherlands and as an owner of a 100+ employee manufacturing company. His company won the Entrepreneurial Business Company of the year in 1997 and the United States Navy Small Vendor Award of the year in 1995.
Since 2003 Bill has been involved with local and regional organisations and is currently the Co-Chair of a large community centre and residents association. He also is the board delegate of a fast growing local community newspaper. He continues his strategic consulting business and serving on various boards.
Bill is member of the Board of Trustees of the Canterbury Historical Houses Conservation Trust and has been appointed to the Urban Rivers Community Engagement & Education - External Advisory Group.
Bill lives in St. Albans with his Kiwi wife, Jane and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Ella.
Christoph emigrated from Switzerland to New Zealand in 2002. Before that he worked in banking in Switzerland and as manager responsible for finances and human resources with the International Committee of the Red Cross in numerous Asian and African countries. For the last seven years he has worked with several non profit and community development initiatives in Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand.
Christoph has experience in both management and governance in several community organisations and is currently the manager of a large Community Centre and Residents' Association.
Christoph is on the Board of Directors of Christchurch Small Business Enterprise Center (CSBEC) and is a co-founder of the Pegasus Exchange Ltd.
He and his wife, Atena have two daughters, 3 and 5 years old and live in St Albans.
Craig grew up in Christchurch and graduated from Canterbury University before pursuing post-graduate work at Kyushu University in Japan. What began as a short study programme overseas became an extended OE in international finance. Beginning in London, Craig eventually rose to become Operations Manager of an international electronic brokerage institution in Tokyo.
Returning via Ireland to Canterbury, Craig re-trained as a lawyer and also completed a post graduate law qualification at the University of Toronto. Craig currently practices as a solicitor in private practice in Christchurch
He is on the Executive Committee of a major, University-based sports organisation and is President of the St. Albans Pavilion and Pool Group.
Ella has been the initiator of several key practices adopted by It’s Our City, Inc. The first is the afternoon nap. This important management tool will assure all of us remain relaxed as we head into a challenging year.
Ella ‘s presence in our movement also has injected much needed humour. She is insistent we don’t work without laughter and most importantly that we laugh at ourselves.
Lastly, she is fond of reminding us of her favourite quote: : “There is a reason nature gave us one mouth and two ears”
