A Lifetime of Leadership

Words Jill Nicholas

Pictures, video Stephen Parker

The Edward name has been enshrined in Rotorua history for more than 80 years.

It first appeared when Dr Bob Edward arrived in 1943 to join  Rotorua Hospital's medical team. 

He brought with him his wife Isla and their six-week-old son, Stewart. The couple went on to produce four more boys: Ian,  David, the late Harry, and Tony. 

It's the leader of that bro pack, Stewart, we talk with today. 

We were going to say "introduce today" but how silly that would be.   

There can be very few who've lived here for more than a heartbeat or two who don’t know Stewart Edward. If not personally then by his reputation as a dentist and one of this community's  outstanding leaders.

This was recognised at the highest level in 1997 when he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to both.  

The previous year he'd been appointed a Justice of the Peace.

Stepping down

It's now eight years since he retired from telling people to open wide and assuring them "this won't hurt a bit" (yeah, right to that)  but he's continued to serve the city and its people in numerous ways, including chairing the Rotorua Trust for the past nine years.

That however isn't for much longer.

Come the November triennial elections he will step down after  leading the philanthropic body that's poured over $135 million ($4.53m this past financial year) into the city over the past 31 years.

It was established following the 1994 devolution of the Rotorua Area Electric Authority.

The proceeds from its sale to Trustpower was the trust's financial foundation.

As Stewart reminds us, until then locals relied on fund raising activities like Queen Carnivals to build amenities such as the Sportsdrome and the now-demolished Soundshell.  

Since the trust swung into action funding's come from its investment portfolios.  It's their healthy returns  that support our clubs, sports bodies, arts and culture-related organisations, education and a raft of other enterprises.

Take In Profile, for example. It's the Rotorua Trust (originally named the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust) which commissions us to feature those who've made their mark locally, exactly as Stewart Edward has done and will continue to do.

Leadership skills

Sum up this man in one word and that word's leadership.

He finished his schooling as head prefect at Boys' High.

In his final Otago University year he was the dental school's student president, the first to represent it at faculty level.

Back on home soil Stewart became heavily involved in establishing trade training programmes, ranging from computers to carpentry on Tumahaurangi marae and at Ti Street.

He was in on the ground floor when Ōhinemutu's Tipu Ora health clinic was set up, Kohanga Reo kura established, and the  Conservation Corps programmes for unemployed youngsters introduced.

These led to a Te Waiariki Purea Trust governance role.

For 11 years, he was involved with the Mahi Tahi Akoranga Trust, which provides motivational programmes for Māori in prisons. He was chairman for a number of them. 

It really goes without saying that he's also chaired the Well Child dental project.  

Does this octogenarian ever draw breath, let alone sleep?

"I'm reasonably efficient with managing my time" is his response to that wee poser.  

Fellow Rotorua Trust members chose him to lead them at the first meeting after his 2016 election.

They knew he'd brought the voice of experience with him.  

He'd already headed the Lakes District Health Board (DHB) for nine years.

Stewart agrees there’s something kinda quirky about doubling up on nine-year stints leading two organisations so pivotal to the city. 

He can't put his finger on why that particular time frame, other than with both, he felt the time had come for him to make way for others to steer these particular ships.

The DHB and Rotorua Trust aren't his only big time appointments. He's chaired the New Zealand Dental Association for the two years on either side of the millennium change. He was rewarded with life membership.

That appointment was preceded by time chairing the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Dental Association.

District Health Board

Stewart's DHB chairmanship role was directly linked to his dental association presidency.

The then Health Minister, Annette King, spotted his leadership skills when she spoke at a dental association conference. She recommended him as a potential chairman for the about-to-be established Lakes DHB.

He was invited to Wellington for an interview with the deputy director general of health.

He drops into our chat that it's the only job interview he's had in his life.

The upshot was he was appointed, becoming only one of two chairmen of the 21 DHBs without previous health board experience. 

Once he hands over the Rotorua Trust's reigns he won't be twiddling his thumbs.

Being Stewart Edward, he's deeply involved with a heap of other trusts and organisations, including the Lakes Water Quality Society.

That embraces his concern for ecology and the environment.

He'll also be continuing with his chairmanships of the board that manages QE Health and the Ohinemutu-based Tunohopu Health centre.

Cricket rep

Governance is not the only way Stewart Edward has made his mark in the place he's passionate about.

Apart from the first six weeks of his life and his university years at Victoria and Otago, Stewart's never lived anywhere but Rotorua.   

It's where his love of sport was nurtured.

He's played cricket for Bay of Plenty, Victoria and Otago Universities and while at dental school was in the New Zealand Universities team. He's also represented Otago in Plunket Shield matches.

In 1964, he was selected for the NZ Cricket Council's world tour.

Big brother's parenting role 

Stewart was once described to us as "everyone’s big brother."

When he was 13, his significant brother role was cemented.

The Edward boys' father became gravely ill while heading to a medical conference in Sweden. His life hung in the balance,  

Their mum, then pregnant with the couple's youngest son, Tony, raced to be with him.

Raced is definitely not the right word. It was when long-haul air travel was still a drawn-out affair.

It took Isla Edward more than a week to reach her husband, who, by then, was in critical care in England. His life hung in the balance. 

Meanwhile, back at the Edward homestead on Lake Road (it was where the Cleveland Motel is today) Stewart was in charge of keeping his siblings in line. 

Little wonder he went on to take on so many leadership roles in the years to come, initiated as he was into the responsibilities of adult life long before most others of his age.

Cultural awareness

 Living with Ōhinemutu virtually over the back fence was, Stewart says, his introduction to the bicultural and multi-cultural place Rotorua is. 

That's something he's always cherished.

"When my parents came here, there were only 8000 people in the town. 

"We were surrounded by Maori whanau. Alec Wilson, who at the time of his recent sudden death was Ngati Whakaue's most senior kaumatua, lived four houses down. 

"Our strong links with Ngati Whakaue were nurtured and influenced by him. 

"Indian and Chinese families like the Bhanas and the Kai Fongs were well established.

"You got this wonderful intermixing of families.

"The natural consequence of growing up here was you accepted this. It was part of your raison d'etre."    

School days 

Stewart’s schooling began at Rotorua Primary, progressing to Rotorua High School. Intermediate schools had yet to be 'invented'.

When he arrived, the "big" school was still a gender mix. By the time he reached his senior years, the girls had moved on to the newly opened Girls' High.

Unsurprisingly, he was in what today would be called an accelerant class. But he makes no bones about finding the sports field the place he preferred.

"I was passionate about cricket and soccer, playing in various age group teams and in the 1st X1s for both codes."

Talking of his schooldays returns him to his closeness to those of other races and cultures.

"From a very early age, you were intermingling with kids from all sorts of backgrounds and ethnicities who had different points of view.

"They were an integral part of the school."

Hunting, show jumping 

 Outside school, the Edward family were never idle.

"Riding in the hunt and at pony club was part of our upbringing. 

"Our father came from a farm and was passionate about horses. He was deputy master of the Rotorua hunt. 

"I was lucky enough to have a Shetland pony and an empty Lake Road section to graze it on."

The pony club's headquarters couldn't have been closer for out-of-school activities.

"They were at the showgrounds, then immediately opposite Boys' High."

He began riding to hounds at around 12 or 13.

“We'd hunt across farms at Ngongotaha owned by families like the Hampsons and Brakes or go out to Reporoa.

"We'd go to pony club events, show jumping at the Mamaku and Reporoa sports days." 

Stewart's show jumping skills were honed by a pro.

"There was this Hungarian former equestrian Olympic triallist, Colman de Bolger, who trained a number of us in dressage and showjumping in paddocks off Otonga and Malfroy Roads."

Edward Brothers Quartet

Away from cricket, soccer and horses, Stewart and his brothers were steeped in music. 

"Our mother was musical. We were in the St Luke's boys' choir." 

On his return from university, Stewart joined the Musical Theatre, playing the male lead in The Merry Widow.   

And who can possibly forget the hugely entertaining Edward Brothers Quartet made up of Stewart, pharmacist Ian, legal eagle Harry and businessman David?

After Harry's sudden death in 2019 and David's move to Auckland, it disbanded leaving Rotorua the poorer in the field of home-grown talent.

When brother Ian and Monty Morrison introduced Lakeside concerts to Rotorua, Stewart was on that team for 22 years.

Marriage, mentors

It's 54 years since Stewart married Waiki Sinclair, a teacher from Hamilton. They met at a wedding on Rotoiti's Emery’s marae.
They've raised three daughters and are grandparents eight times over.

Like Stewart, Waiki's dad, Doug Sinclair, was a doctor. Stewart bonded closely with him.

"I've been very influenced by him. He was very much involved in Māori health.

"Being with him was like having another university education. 

"He opened my eyes to the challenges faced by Māori."   

He credits mentors like Dr Sinclair and Rotorua's official historian the late Don Stafford for nurturing his interest in all things Māori.

"I was very lucky as a kid.

"My great mate Geoff Ladbrooke worked in the Staffords' shop on Friday nights. 

"I'd go in and listen to the stories the kaumātua and kuia were sharing with Don.

"Through him I was exposed to the language, the history of this place."

Trust years

History remains a passion. A highlight of his Rotorua Trust years will be the museum's reopening.

The trust's major grant during his chairmanship has been the $15 million contributed to the rebuild of Te Whare Taonga Te Arawa.

"We've done this by ensuring no other grant applications are disadvantaged, that the wider community continues to benefit from the trust."

Will he miss leading the team of six elected trustees?

"The trust has been a really important part of my life.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time as chair and having worked with lots of great people.

"We've had very good communication sitting around the table with trustees able to express their views in a collective way while accepting at times they won't necessarily win their argument.

"As a board we've worked together for the collective good of the Rotorua community.

"I'm very proud of that.  It's been a wonderful experience.

"The people who set up this trust in perpetuity had wonderful foresight."