Three Hawke’s Bay ‘institutions’ are in the process of losing key players.
Sally Jackson has resigned as GM of the A & P Society and is taking a position as General Manager of Residential Sales for Bayleys.
Anna Kirk has resigned as Executive Director Communications at the Hawke’s Bay DHB.
And Craig Cooper is resigning as Editor of Hawke’s Bay Today.
Each of these institutions faces significant uncertainty.
The A&P Society, owner and operator of the showgrounds, stepped into controversy over an aborted proposal to offer its land for residential development. It would appear to find itself in a classic asset rich, cash poor position, with its physical facilities in need of serious modernising. And more broadly, needing to fashion a modern purpose.
The HBDHB awaits the nationwide restructuring announced by the Labour Government. So there will be plenty of change as the deck chairs are re-arranged in the interest of achieving equity in service delivery across regions, medical technology efficiencies and physical plant modernising (i.e., like air conditioning!). Or cynics might say … no change at all!
Hawke’s Bay Today is stressed no less than printed newspapers the world over, as all face rising production costs, loss of print readership and loss of advertising (their historic mother’s milk) to digital platforms. All of this compounded, in HB Today’s case, by existing at the mercy of its corporate parent (with its uber-branding and adaptation imperatives) and unable to chart any local path of its own.
So, change is in the cards each of these institutions. Are they dinosaurs about to disappear, or caterpillars yet to transform into butterflies?!
In any crisis there’s an opportunity .. just look at the situation through different glasses… A and P needs a reset as do many event driven organizations. It’s a time in society where we need some strong soles to step up …