The Pacific Business Trust is proud to announce its association as a category sponsor, with the inaugural New Zealand Pacific Island Sports Awards. After the event was announced publically in July by NZPISA Founder Mr Inga Tuigamala, PBT has worked him and NZPISA President Jannitta Pilisi to develop a relationship on the basis of the event’s pan-Pacific focus and the opportunity to be the sponsor of the Sports Administrator category.

“Participation and achievement in sport has long been a significant feature of Pacific people’s contribution to New Zealand’s identity” said PBT Chief Executive Peter Cordtz. “I was proud and humbled to win the Samoan Sports Administrator Award in 2006 [as GM of NZRL], but as successful as the Samoan Sports Awards have been, this event provides the opportunity to recognise the achievements of ALL Pacific people”

“The Sports Administration category allows us to play a part in recognising administrative excellence, good business practice and astute management. These attributes are critical to success whether applied in sport, business or community enterprise” said Mr Cordtz.

PBT Chairman Hamish Crooks also has strong views on the link between the PBT’s focus and the awards, saying “The business of sport in this country generates much of its value from the efforts of Pasifika athletes, many of whom are actually businesses in their own right.”

Mr Crooks added “Pasifika people should aspire to positions of ‘off-field’ leadership in sport as much as ‘on field’ success and we hope that highlighting the achievements of our best administrators will inspire them to seek out those opportunities”.

NZPISA recently confirmed all category finalists for the event to be held at the ASB Auckland Show Grounds on the 5th of November 2011. Alongside many well known sports identities in the other categories, the Sports Administrator category finalists are, Mr Eroni Clarke, Mr Ben Mailata and Mr Don Mann.

Eroni Clarke played a total of 24 matches for the All Blacks including 10 tests from 1992-1998 and was a key member of the dominant Auckland Rugby teams of that era. Since his retirement, Eroni has devoted much of his time to service of his community through involvement in youth development initiatives including TYLA (Turn Your Life Around), a Pasifika liaison role with Unitec and serving on boards of several community organisations.

Currently he is also a Facilitator with TrainingPlus where he utilises his communication skills, management and life experiences to motivate and inspire people to achieve their goals in sport, business and the community.

Ben Mailata is currently active in an arena that is atypical for Pasifika people, that being the sport of Cricket. While there have been a small number of high profile achievers over the years (most notably the current Black Caps Captain Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor, AKA Ross Taylor), Pasifika participation has been relatively low in this sport.

Ben is amongst a new breed of players and administrators looking to change that, particularly in his current role as Pacific Island Development Officer with the Auckland Cricket Association. In addition to being a player of considerable ability, Ben has also turned his hand to coaching, assisting McCauley High School to become 2010 Auckland Champions. He is the founder of the ‘Brown Caps’ Pacific Secondary Schools Team and was also the Tournament Organiser for the ‘Country of Origin’ event that included 10 teams representing the Asia-Pacific region.

Don Mann (Jnr) has quietly gone about the business of building a reputation as a highly effective and respected senior sports administrator over the past 12 years, while the on-field exploits of his father (Kiwi Don Mann) and brother (Kiwi Captain and foundation Warrior Duane Mann) have captured most attention.  A former police detective, Don’s first service to Rugby League after playing at club level for Glenora, was as a referee.

Leaving the police in the late 1990’s to pursue education; Don graduated with distinction from Massey University with a Bachelor of Business. In 2000 he became Marketing Manager at NZRL and by the end of that year joined Cullen Sport as Marketing Manager of the NZ Warriors. In the years since he has been the Warriors’ Media/Events Manager, Operations Manager and is currently General Manager. Amongst the special projects he has overseen for Cullen Sport, is a period managing the career of boxer Shane Cameron.

For more information about the NZ Pacific Island Sports Awards visit www.nzpisportsawards.com

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