RNZFB elects new Chair

Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
2 March 2010
Media release

RNZFB elects new Chair

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) is pleased to announce that Geraldine Glanville has been elected as the new Chair of its Board of Directors.

A Foundation member and guide dog handler, Geraldine has sat on the Board of Directors for the last fifteen years. She brings extensive operational and strategic knowledge to her new role.

Geraldine holds a BA in economics, and worked for IBM for 25 years in a variety of business-related roles, before taking early retirement. She has been actively involved with the Association of Blind Citizens (ABC), and will step down from her present role as a Board member of that organisation to take up her position as RNZFB Chair.

Outside the boardroom, Geraldine is a competitive bridge player, and enjoys fishing and gardening.

Geraldine says, “I am very excited about the future direction of the Foundation, and meeting the challenges ahead. The Board and I are committed to ensuring that our members receive the support they deserve, through quality service and advice.”

Also last week, Dr Neville Bennett was elected as Deputy Chair. A Board of Directors member since 2003, he is semi-retired from his role as a lecturer at Canterbury University. Neville holds a PhD from the London School of Economics, and writes on social change and economics for the National Business Review and other media.

RNZFB Chief Executive Sandra Budd congratulates Geraldine and Neville, “We are delighted at the opportunity to work closely with two people who truly understand the needs and aspirations of our members. Their expertise will be invaluable in building a strong, sustainable organisation.”

Since 2003, the RNZFB has been directly governed by its members, who elect the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors’ key role is governance, focusing on strategic issues such as the Foundation’s purpose and direction.

The Board may have up to eleven Directors. The blind, deafblind and partially sighted membership elects eight of these, associate members elect one, and the remaining two Directors may be co-opted to the Board for their specific skills or experience. Directors serve for a term of three years.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

• The RNZFB is the main provider of sight loss habilitation and rehabilitation services to 11,500 blind and partially sighted members.

• Each year nearly 1,200 New Zealanders who have become blind or experienced sight loss register as members.

• The RNZFB equips its members with the adaptive skills, technology and resources they need to overcome barriers they face to participating fully in society and leading independent lives.

• The vision of the RNZFB is to empower and support blind and partially sighted New Zealanders to ensure they have the same opportunities and choices as everyone else.

• Only one-third of the RNZFB’s $26 million operating budget comes from Government. We must fundraise $17.3 million annually.

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