Life Members
Doreen Smart
Founder, and Inaugural National President (1972-1974), first Life Member
An insight into our Association's founder, the late Doreen Smart, as shared by her daughter Janine Wilsher, and granddaughter Jane, at the AAPNZ Conference 2006 held in Palmerston North, July 2006.
"Doreen would not have been surprised at the size or effectiveness of the organisation today, but she would have been a little daunted at the way you work now.
In Mum's day everything was done manually. Notes taken in shorthand, a gestetner and carbon copies on a typewriter. No computers, internet, scanners or even cellphones. How things have changed! Doreen knew the potential but she may not have recognised it now. I wonder how it will look in another 35 years?
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Doreen was an exceptional person.
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Doreen had very wide and diverse interests in life. She related really well to people and if she believed in something 9 times out of 10 she made it happen.
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We were very 'active' in my childhood, from chanting 'ban the bomb' and waving placards in Government grounds to acting in Downstage plays and singing folk songs in shopping malls.
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Life was never dull. Mum studied subjects from Greek mythology (good fun for a kid!) to education to the Spanish guitar.
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When I was born Mum had her own 'Public Typing' business which she ran for some years, servicing Law and Accounting firms in Wellington.
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At some point she decided she needed to become a teacher so that she could have the school holidays with me. So of course, that's what she did!
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Her first job was as a commercial teacher at Wellington Technical College where she went on to become the HOD.
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When Wellington Polytechnic was first mooted, Mum was asked to set up the Secretarial School which she developed into the largest school in the organisation. This is where she met and employed Valerie Jackson.
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After many years at Polytech she joined the Education Department as a school inspector. It was from this position that she retired and moved to Otaki.
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We laughed a lot and talked even more.
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Doreen taught me by example how to strive to achieve things; how to believe in myself and have the confidence to 'have a go'. She taught me that I didn't have to 'stand in a queue' for anything - I could and should make my own queues in life.
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Doreen was kind and caring of others. She loved her family. We miss her a lot, but everyday the way we live our lives, reflects the values Doreen taught us."
Janine and Jane were invited to make a presentation to Val Sturgess from Auckland who received an Honorary Life Membership of AAPNZ, the 4th in the history of the Association.
[This document reproduced with permission from Janine Wilsher]
Valerie Jackson
FNZSES; AAPNZ Life Member; Cert. Facilitator ‘TetraMap’
Valerie Jackson is one of the founding members of the Association of Administrative Professionals New Zealand Inc (AAPNZ) and is a Life Member.
She has established herself at the leading edge of executive assistant/administration team development by designing and facilitating a range of training programmes in the public and private sector. Clients describe her facilitation as professional, challenging and highly participative. Seen regularly presenting and chairing at national and international conferences. Known well for her coaching and mentoring services.
Valerie’s passion for the profession started with her administration/office management roles in Yorkshire. With a love for travel she came to NZ for 2 years (it turned into 48!). Whilst working in office management she taught typewriting at evening classes and found her calling. She trained as a commercial teacher – merging her two passions – administration and teaching. Career milestones at Wellington Polytechnic from tutor to course supervisor, finally Head of Department. This role created opportunities for involvement in administration national curriculum development and qualifications. She was involved in the major change from shorthand and typewriting certificates – to qualifications on the national framework. Influencing a changing image for this profession is a deep interest she continues. Today’s business environment is an exciting sophisticated world – and the core heartbeat is still the administration team.
AAPNZ (or NZSES originally) has been a part of Valerie’s life since 1972 when the Society was ‘born’ at Wellington Polytechnic and what a wonderful journey it continues to be. After the first group opened in Wellington, Auckland followed next. Over the years she attended many new group inaugurations and follows group developments over the years, recently attending Nelson Group’s 20th Anniversary celebration. She was on the National President’s committee to set up the first annual ‘Administrative Professional of the Year Award’ and was one of the judging team for the first 3 years. She has facilitated workshops for many groups – sharing a lead role for an earlier national roadshow. Valerie was on the first Wellington group committee, the first Education Sub-Committee and has attended innumerable AGM’s and Conferences. She continues to coach and support ‘behind the scenes’ whenever possible.
Unquestionably career highlights were facilitating at three International Summits for Administrative Professionals - Wellington, July 2000, Queensland Australia 2006, and Auckland in 2011. What a privilege to be part of our exciting international journey.
“Stop thinking about retirement and Start Living”? She will continue to share knowledge and experience and have fun – until made to sit down and be quiet!
Marie Hucker
FNZSES, AAPNZ Life Member
Marie is a Foundation Member of AAPNZ, originally SCES, and attended the first Auckland Group Meeting in March 1974. She became a Fellow of NZSES in May 1991 and was honoured to be made a Life Member in June 1997. In August 2011 she was also privileged to be presented with her 35-year membership bar at a celebratory function organised by Auckland Group.
Since 1976 Marie has fulfilled a range of roles for the Association, including Auckland Group Secretary, Auckland Group President, NEC member and Group Co-ordinator, Hon Treasurer and National President, during which time she oversaw the planning, organisation and holding of The 1st New Zealand Secretaries Conference which was held in Christchurch in April 1989. Fortunately her earlier attendance at The First Australian Secretaries Conference in Melbourne in 1983 and the contacts made proved to be of immense help. The following year she was a member of the Alfred Marks Secretary of the Year Award Criteria and Selection Committee. Later she was appointed the National President’s representative on The 2nd New Zealand Secretaries Conference Committee, which conference was held in Wellington in September 1991 and then became Conference Treasurer and Co-Convener of The 3rd New Zealand Secretaries Conference held in Auckland in September 1994.
Marie’s experience gained while working on committees with members from throughout New Zealand stood her in good stead when asked to take on the role of Co-Convener for the 8th International Office Professionals Summit which was held in Auckland in July 2011. She was privileged to share this task with Val Sturgess, another Life Member.
While National President and for some time after, she also undertook various roles for Youth Skills New Zealand, including serving a term on its National Executive. For this work she has received Gold and Platinum Awards for long service.
Since 2010 she has been a Director of AAPNZ Professional Development Limited and previously served a term as a Director and Company Secretary of NZSES Training Limited, the forerunner of AAPNZ PD Limited.
Before retiring from the paid workforce, Marie worked for over 45 years, initially as a shorthand typist in a government department, and then while in London where she first worked as a temp, gained experience in two legal offices, a career which she continued on her return to New Zealand. Marie then worked for the one employer for over 37 years, mostly in a sole charge position as a personal assistant to a Queen’s Counsel.
Over the years she has attended numerous group meetings and AGM weekends and has made a number of treasured friendships with past and present members of the Association. She still enjoys attending many of the Auckland Group Meetings and keeping abreast with current trends.
Val Sturgess
FNZSES, AAPNZ Life Member
I was privileged to be conferred with the 4th life membership of AAPNZ at the AGM gala dinner in Palmerston North on 1 July 2006. Liz Signal, the then outgoing National President, made the presentation to me, along with AAPNZ founder Doreen Smart’s daughter, Janine Wilsher, and granddaughter, Jane, and fellow life member Valerie Jackson. It was a very special night and a wonderful surprise to say the least!
I started my working life at a public accounting and sharebroking firm in Hawera where my role included completing financial accounts on an old Remington bookkeeping machine, sharebroking clerical work and shorthand/typing. By the time I left 4 ½ years later to marry and move to Masterton, I was supervising six staff.
Since then, with my husband Gary we have lived in many parts of New Zealand and I have held a wide variety of jobs both in the private and public sector. These have included shipping manager/executive secretary at the now defunct Wilson Neill Exports (Dunedin), office manager/liaison officer for the NZ Commercial Travellers and Sales Representatives Union (Christchurch), PA/office administrator for two grain companies (Te Awamutu) and committee secretary at both the Taranaki Regional Council (Stratford) and Hastings District Council (while living in Waipukurau).
I have also been involved with admin and treasury roles on various community committees over the years for organisations such as Save the Children, the Presbyterian Church, AFS Taranaki and the Auckland Down Syndrome Association.
I heard about the then NZ Society of Executive Secretaries Inc (now known as AAPNZ) in Christchurch, but we were about to move to Dunedin so I joined up there in 1985, and gained the NZSES Fellow professional designation in 1996. I was involved in setting the criteria for the original fellow and associate designations and also their recent review. I have been a member of five groups – Dunedin, Hamilton, New Plymouth (now Taranaki), Wanganui and Palmerston North (now Manawatu) – and a past president of both Dunedin and New Plymouth groups. Now a member of the Auckland Group, I have served five years on the Auckland Management Committee holding the sponsorship and AP Day portfolios of which I have run three.
At a national level, I was National Executive Committee (NEC) Honorary Secretary from 1991 to 1993, group representative on NEC, holding the education portfolio, from 1989 to 1991 and represented the Society on the NZQA National Advisory Committee for Business Studies from 1988 to 1993; it was here that the pathway for a system of accreditation for administrative professionals was first established.
Gary and I moved to Auckland 10 years ago. While Gary continued in employment, I took on managing a team of eight consultants in the recruitment company we purchased, Quay Personnel. However the downturn in 2008 took its toll and finally in late 2009 we closed the Newmarket and East Tamaki offices and I have been working from a home based office, whilst retaining only one consultant.
My biggest passion (apart from AAPNZ some might say) is our family of four daughters, Tania (44) who lives in Palmerston North, Rebecca (41) in Christchurch, Nichola (40) in Stratford and Jacqui (30) in London, along with five grandchildren aged from 24 years to 15 years old and two great grand children aged 2 ½ and 1 years of age. We have also recently adopted a champagne coloured 7 year old Wheaten Terrier cross dog, Peppi who is supposed to get me out walking each day.
In April 2010 I took on the part time role of National Finance and Membership Officer for AAPNZ (in reality it is a full time role) because I like figures and detail and was keen to learn a new skill with MYOB. And in August 2010 I agreed to be a co-convener with fellow life member Marie Hucker of the 8th International Office Professionals Summit held in conjunction with the AAPNZ 38th AGM and Workshops from 5-9 July 2011 here in Auckland. What an amazing opportunity that was and the things we have learnt!
Having just receive my certificate for 25 years of membership to AAPNZ I can say I have gained so much for what I have given to the Association – new skills, friendships, opportunities for professional development but mostly it is the people you meet over all that time and for me that has been right across New Zealand.
Eth Lloyd
M.Ed. Dip. Bus. Admin., AAPNZ (Life, Fellow, Cert.)
Eth became involved with AAPNZ in 1997 when she joined to attend the Christchurch International Conference. She was asked later that year along with Tricia Caughley, to be Co-Convener for the AAPNZ International Conference in 2000 a role they shared with Sandra Patton for the 4th International Secretarial Summit and the AAPNZ Wellington Group for the AAPNZ AGM.
Eth took roles at AAPNZ Group level as Education Officer, Minute Taker, Vice-President and Co-Group President. In mid-2000 she became the Minute Taker for the National Executive Committee and in 2001 took on the role of Central Regional Leader. She became National President of AAPNZ from 2002 to 2004 and was the champion of AAPNZ’s Certification process. One of Eth’s great pleasures was the launching of Certification in 2004 by the Hon Harry Duynhoven M.P. for New Plymouth, at the AGM/Conference held there and seeing the first three AAPNZ Members being awarded and presented with their Certification.
Since 2004 Eth has been a Director of AAPNZ Professional Development Ltd holding the positions of Chairman and Director during this time. She has also been a member of the Professional Development Sub-Committee since 2002 to the present time holding the position of Chairman and is currently Co-Chairman. She has returned to the Wellington AAPNZ Group’s Management Team for short periods of time and continues to help and support them as and when required.
Eth has over 30 years administrative experience in a wide variety of industry sectors both in New Zealand and overseas where she has worked for senior management in various roles. Since 2005 she has been running her own professional development consulting business where her focus has mainly been on supporting administrative staff to gain national qualifications in the work place. Eth has worked with over 80 administrative professionals, both AAPNZ members and non-members, throughout New Zealand in small and large organisations. She takes great pleasure and satisfaction in seeing these individuals gain a relevant qualification recognising their skills and competencies and in seeing how very positively this affects them.
Eth holds a Masters in Education where her research topic was “Administrative professionals in New Zealand; their professional development opportunities and career pathways”. This is perhaps the first academic research into this sector of the workforce in New Zealand. She has recently completed a research project funded by Ako Aotearoa with Vivienne Kermode, a senior tutor from Waiariki Institute of Technology and a member of the AAPNZ Rotorua Group. They were looking at ways of filling knowledge gaps for administrative professionals wishing to complete a L5 Diploma in Business Administration while in the workforce.
Eth also holds a National Diploma of Business Administration (Level 5) which she gained through workplace assessment. She became an Associate of AAPNZ in 2003, gained Certification in 2006, and received her Fellow in 2008. Eth has attended all International Summits since 2000 including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Trinidad & Tobago. At the Gala Dinner of the recent 8th International Office Professionals Summit in Auckland, which was combined with the AAPNZ AGM in 2011, she was honoured to be presented with her AAPNZ Life membership.