Mike sailed on Buccaneer, a well-known racing yacht in the 80’s with Tom Clark of Ceramco fame. In 1981, he left New Zealand on an 18 month OE which turned into a 15 year expedition. Mike sailed in the US, Antigua, the Mediterranean, England, and in the United States, over that period on generally larger yachts, becoming a well-known and sought after sailor. Mike spent three months in South Africa at about the time Rhodesia was becoming Zimbabwe. It was a most interesting time. Mike in the time he was away sailed most of the major blue water yacht races in the Norther Hemisphere including such classics as the Fastnet race. Mike worked for a period in New Jersey with his then wife, Betsy Ellison (a very well-known American Sailor herself), selling kitchens as US authorities would not accept NZ qualifications. The most expensive kitchen he sold was to a wife of an American Lawyer valued at approximately $150,000.00 with every toy imaginable. Mike returned to New Zealand after 15 years after many sea miles. He had been involved in the fitness business, although hit hard with the GFC and now has a surfacing company using nanotechnology to make surfaces and wet areas of houses water resistant. Mike when he is not working is an international sailing judge and a national umpire. This means your editor sees him from time to time in NZ regattas. Mike’s other interests are wine, particularly Australian and New Zealand reds. His aim is to leave the world a better place and hopes to do that through his involvement in Rotary. Thank you Mike for an interesting vocational which enables members to better get to know you. |
Another reason Richard is interested in medicine is that his older brother is in his 5th year at University, which means he has a mentor to speak to when he has issues. He is finding his current years study very hard as pre-med is a form of social death. Because of his brother’s presence, it is heartening to have a role model for support. Richard’s aim is to reduce and/or ameliorate inequity in health.
