Brendan was raised in Levin, spending his secondary school years as a boarder at St Pats College Silverstream, and commenced work in the poultry industry for Siddle and Sons. 

Brendan went into business in 1987 as Canvasland, selling it in 2017. Was president of the industry association and awarded life membership. He was elected to the Horowhenua District Council in 1995, and elected to District Mayor in 2004 till 2016. He held chair roles on various Local Govt committees and a term as Vice President of Local Govt NZ.  

Brendan was appointed as deputing chair of Mid Central DHB in 2016 and chair in 2019. He was also appointed to the Local Govt Commission in 2017 and Chair in 2020. Appointed to Eastern and Central Community Trust in 2021. 

Brendan became a volunteer member of the Business Kapiti Horowhenua Incorporated in 2017 and was appointed chair in 2019. 

He is now involved in various business advisory roles, and loves the adventure of delivering the longest continuously run business awards in New Zealand……The ELECTRA BUSINESS AWARDS. 

A long-time local, Angela spent several years in England attending university before returning home in 1998. Upon her return, she and her sister co-founded the footwear brand Minx, which quickly rose to national recognition—winning “Brand to Watch” at Wellington Fashion Week in 2000 and becoming a finalist in both the Wellington Gold Awards and Ernst & Young’s “Young Entrepreneur of the Year.”

After Minx moved offshore for manufacturing, Angela launched her own retail stores, leading to the creation of Superminx... Shoes and Other Lovely Things. For over 11 years, Superminx has been her pride and joy, navigating the evolving retail landscape with a focus on customer experience, creative marketing, and community events. Her dedication to excellence has earned multiple accolades, including three stores ranked among the top six Minx retailers and regional awards such as the Electra Business Awards for Employee Training and Interaction (2008) and the Customer Choice Award (2016).

Antony Young became a board member of Business Kapiti Horowhenua in 2019.  He’s seen first-hand the significance the Electra Business Awards and what it enables.  He has been both an assessor for the award organiser and shared the experienced as an award winner.    

Antony is an active and passionate advocate of local business growth.  He chairs the Horowhenua New Zealand Trust that operates as their districts economic development agency and was previously chair of the Horowhenua Taste Trail that helps to raise the profile and interest in the region’s most prominent food producers.  He is co-founder of The Digital Café, a social and media agency that advises New Zealand businesses on marketing promotion. 

Earlier, Antony spent twenty years abroad working in the advertising and media industry included regional director of global advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, and CEO of media and digital companies in New York, London and Asia. 

​Steve is an experienced corporate executive and has worked across a range of industries and different sized businesses. He has been on the board of BKH for over 5 years and worked for Electra the major sponsor for almost 8 years. Steve is CA qualified and is a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand professional body. 

Steve has a real passion for business growth and excellence and really enjoys working on mergers and acquisitions with considerable experience gained through the wider Electra group. 

Steve has a keen interest in cycling both on road and off road and is a strong supporter of the Kapiti Cycling Club. 

Based in Kāpiti and serving clients across the Wellington region—including the Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington City—Zebunisso is an award-winning mortgage adviser with over 10 years of experience in the finance industry. She specialises in helping individuals, families, and investors secure tailored lending solutions, drawing on deep market knowledge and strong lender relationships.

With personal experience in buying, building, and renovating homes, Zebunisso brings a practical, solutions-focused approach to navigating the mortgage process. Her understanding of both residential property and finance enables her to anticipate challenges and deliver clear, strategic advice to clients at every stage of the journey.

Committed to supporting regional growth and financial wellbeing, Zebunisso also engages actively in the local community through sponsorship and partnerships that reflect her values.

Andrew brings extensive leadership experience across a range of sectors, including corporate and environmental management, utilities, telecommunications, and the public sector. His expertise covers key areas critical to business performance, such as financial management, human resources, innovation and technology, compliance, and quality assurance.

Andrew has held senior executive roles, including Chief Executive of Composting New Zealand and General Manager of JB’s Environmental in Levin.

He has also worked with a number of major public and private sector organisations, including the Ministry of Education, the Department of Corrections, Spark NZ, and One NZ, contributing to projects that required strategic insight and cross-sector collaboration. Andrew is currently the Chief Executive for The Horowhenua Company.

Janine Sudbury is a former BBC and National Radio broadcast journalist and presenter who has created one of the most unique leadership training centres in the country. She has a BA in Philosophy and Politics, has worked in Congress in Washington DC and has used these experiences to develop Impact Leadership. She is the Programme co-ordinator, facilitator, videographer and coach. 

Her journalistic career has helped her develop an astuteness in reading people and situations which allow her to motivate and inspire others. She is also a superb communicator and listener who is empathetic and capable of giving honest, passionate feedback. 

Eleven years ago Janine launched Sudbury, a stunning country venue hosting weddings, leadership training and corporate events. In 2018 she won an Electra Business Excellence Award. She attracts clients from around the world who wish to experience Impact Leadership and Sudbury. 

Born in Paraparaumu, Gwen grew up around the grocery industry, with her father managing several supermarkets, including New World Havelock North and New World Levin. She joined the family business in 2006 and, in 2015, took the lead—transforming the Write Price store into New Zealand’s first PAK'nSAVE MINI, a significant innovation in the sector.

Gwen lives in Horowhenua with her husband and their three daughters, and she remains deeply connected to the community. Passionate about both business and people, she is dedicated to delivering every day for her customers, staff and the wider Horowhenua community.

Natalie and Charlotte provide contracted services as part of PomPom Events & Marketing. They have been involved with the Awards for seven years! As founders of PomPom, Charlotte and Natalie bring together over 30 years of experience in events & marketing delivered at both a national and international level.