Providing the highest standards of air search, rescue and emergency air ambulance services
 
 
 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Philips Search and Rescue Trust that operates and manages the air ambulance in Hamilton and rescue helicopters in Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo and Palmerston North is governed by an independent board of trustees, and is a charitable trust approved by the Inland Revenue Department.

 

Errol Millar
Executive Chairman

Errol Millar is an experienced company director and management consultant based in the South Island.  He is chairman of Aquestra Ltd and chairman of the Otago District Health Board.  Previous directorships have included the Airways Corporation of NZ and Civil Aviation Authority.  His exposure in matters of finance, aviation and health provides the Trust with invaluable governance experience.

 

Patricia Bayley
Trustee

Patricia joined the Trust in 1996 and has spent some 16 years working with Federated Farmers.  She is a member of the Otorohanga District Development Board and continues in partnership with husband, Michael, to manage a 1600 hectare sheep and beef property in Otorohanga.

 

Stewart Davies
Trustee

Stewart’s relationship with the Trust commenced with the establishment of the Palmerston North base.  He brings to the Trust an emergency management focus with lengthy service in the NZ Police Force.  Many years of search and rescue work saw Stewart the recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal in 2003.  He is currently engaged at the Palmerston North City Council as the Emergency Management Coordinator.

 

Terry Burcher MBChB (Otago) 1972 FRACS 1980
Trustee

Terry is a General and Laparoscopic Surgeon.  He was a surgeon based at Taupo Hospital at the time of the light plane crash that initiated the search funded by Philips NZ Ltd.  An interest in trauma surgery saw Terry appointed a Trustee at the inception of the Trust.  He has been in private practice in Hamilton for many years.

 

David Wickham
Secretary

David is a director in a chartered accountancy practice in Taupo and has played a major role in the financial operations of the Trust since 1987.  He gained considerable insight into health-related issues as a former director on both the Lakeland Health Board and the Health Waikato Board and is a trustee on the board of Ambulance New Zealand - an organisation that represents the general ambulance sector.

 

FRIENDS OF THE RESCUE HELICOPTER . friends@rescue.org.nz . 0800 11 10 10XX