Our Trustees

A deliberate blend of expertise and practical experience has been sought in establishing the make up of the Trust under the Chairmanship of Mr Robert Williams.  The Trustees set policies and procedures and monitor the Trust’s operational and financial performance and its obligations and agreements with sponsors.

The Trust is committed to keeping administrative overheads to a minimum, reserving funds for operational costs wherever possible.  There is only one staff member employed by the Trust, with hundreds of hours being given free of charge by the Trustees, volunteers and the business community to support the service.

Chairman – Rob Williams, Chartered Accountant

A Partner of West Yates Chartered Accountants & Business Consultants.  Rob is involved in providing advice on the acquisition/disposal of large commercial properties and works with major clients in the fishing and retailing industry.  As well as his involvement with the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust he is Treasurer of Nelson Deerstalkers, Treasurer of the Nelson Club, past Treasurer of Tasman Bay Cruising Club and Nelson Underwater Club. His interests include hunting, fishing, diving and skiing.

Trustee – Dennis Creed, Lawyer

A Partner of Pitt & Moore Lawyers & Notaries Public, Dennis practices in Property Law, Finance, Employment, Commercial and Business Law and is a trained mediator. He was educated at Victoria University graduating with an LL.B.  He has been with Pitt & Moore since 1980. Dennis is a member of the Nelson District Law Society Executive and a member of the Nelson College Board of Trustees.  

Trustee – Aldo Miccio, Businessman

Aldo has had an extensive career in management and operations, predominantly in the apparel industry . He established his own apparel development and trading company in 1998 and by 2000 employed twelve staff. The company now has offices in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. As a Nelson city councilor and businessman, he brings sound strategic planning skills and a positive entrepreneurial attitude.  Aldo is a trustee on a number of other community boards

Marketing & Communications Manager – Paula Muddle

With a background in market research, marketing, design and sponsorship, Paula is employed by the Trust to ensure existing and new sponsors receive a high and favourable profile in the community and to obtain additional sponsorship and support for the Trust.

Our Crew

The Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust's crew consists of two pilots, each with over 9,000 hours flying time, five volunteer winch operators and five St John Advanced Paramedics.
Monthly operation meetings are held with all crew to review training, equipment and any mission concerns.  These programs are certified by independent observers to ensure the very high standards are met.  
The winch operators are trained by one of Australasia's most experienced winch men and are retrained every three months to ensure top capability at all times.
Specialised training programs are in place for the volunteer Water Rescue Team, who are experienced in surf lifesaving, swift and open water retrieval, alpine survival, winch operation
and reconnaissance activities. 
They are required to undertake regular training programs throughout the year. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regularly audit operators to see that a reasonable level of training is being carried out.