Meet the Team

About the Team

Bill Findlater - Chief Executive

Bill was employed as the EDA's inaugral Chief Executive after a 34 year career in the pipfruit industry.   Bill came to Nelson in 1985 as the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Manager for the New Zealand Apple & Pear Marketing Board (ENZA) and became National Supply Manager in 1997.   For three years prior to joining the EDA, Bill was Procurement Director for a joint venture UK Category Management company supplying produce to seven of the eight major UK supermarket chains.   Bill is former Chairman of the company operating the successful Nelson Giants Basketball franchise.   He is a Trustee of the Annesbrook Community Trust, on the Executive Committee of the Nelson Cancer Society and a member of both the Nelson Regional Transport Committee and the Tasman Regional Transport Committee.   Bill is also a member of the Institute of Directors.

Contact Bill at bill@eda.co.nz

 

  

 eda

Teresa Eddy - Office Manager

Teresa has recently moved here from Wellington. She brings with her a wide range of skills and over 20 years experience from both the private and public sectors. Teresa’s experience includes; software programming, IT systems management, IT training, event co-ordination, project management, office management, administration, business accounting, executive assistance, and customer service. Teresa has also owned and managed a small distribution company which she built from the ground-up.

Some of the companies and organisations that Teresa has been involved with are: Unisys Link, Farmers Mutual Group, Trilogy Business Systems, Stratex Networks, Massey University and the New Zealand Army. Teresa has lived and worked throughout New Zealand and the United Kingdom and she is a keen traveller; having visited Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe and North America.

Contact Teresa at teresa@eda.co.nz

 

 eda

Liz Hegarty - Development Manager

Liz joined the EDA team in April 2010.    Relocating to the Top of the South in 2006 from Auckland, Liz's background includes business analysis, working in banking (ASB Bank), insurance (Lumley New Zealand) and with major national retail chains (The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Kathmandu, Overland Footwear, and Ezibuy). 

Liz has amassed a wealth of experience covering IT business analysis, project management, process re-engineering, system dynamics analysis, training and strategic planning.  Liz is thrilled to have moved to a role focussed on fostering regional economic growth and development.

Liz is also a keen writer and to her credit, had her first book published in 2009.

Contact Liz at liz@eda.co.nz

 

  

Hazel Thelin - Project Coordinator

Hazel recently joined the EDA in September 2011 in a part time role assisting Liz with her workload. Before motherhood Hazel worked for the Freshwater team at the Cawthron Institute and at Sealord's Productivity Improvement Team. She hails from Scotland and has lived in Nelson for 8 years. When first arriving in Nelson Hazel worked as a self employed draughtperson on the Alyssa M redevelopment and refit.

In the UK she enjoyed working at a nationwide engineering company as a public consultation manager and environmental scientist, with most of her workload comprising of Regional Highway Schemes, and developing the office's marketing and website. She has undertaken public consultation within an acute services review for Glasgow hospitals, and temporary administration supervision for Stirling Council and the Health Service in Scotland.

Hazel has a BSc Honours and for the last 3 years has been actively volunteering on governance committees taking on the financial and website related portfolios. She enjoys website design and development, writing, skiing, whitebaiting and playing soccer with her 2 kids.

Contact Hazel at hazel@eda.co.nz