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Media and news 2004
Last year’s inaugural inductee into the New Zealand Hi Tech Hall of Fame, Sir Angus Tait, has been joined by another highly successful entrepreneur with strong Canterbury connections – Neville Jordan. Mr Jordan, who completed an engineering degree at the University of Canterbury and went on to establish a highly successful international technology company, was last night (Saturday) named as the second inductee into the Hi Tech Hall of Fame and the 2004 winner of the Tait Electronics Flying Kiwi Award. The honours were announced as part of the annual Westpac New Zealand Hi Tech Awards, held in Wellington. Mr Jordan graduated from Canterbury with a degree in electronics in 1966 and went on to establish MAS Technology, a business designing and manufacturing telecommunications microwave equipment. The company grew from a one-man operation in 1976 to become an employer of 250 staff, earning more than $100 million per year in foreign exchange through exports to 60 countries. In 1997, Lower Hutt-based MAS Technology became the first and only private New Zealand firm to successfully list on the NASDAQ national market in the United States. Mr Jordan went on to establish Endeavour Capital, a venture capital business currently investing in several exciting New Zealand-based science, research and technology enterprises. Mr Jordan was delighted to strengthen his links with Canterbury by opening an Endeavour Capital Christchurch office and the company’s institutional investment partners now include Ngai Tahu and Christchurch City Council. “ This is indeed an honour to receive the Flying Kiwi award,” Mr Jordan told the audience at last night’s function. “In fact I can’t think of anything better than to be following Sir Angus Tait into the Hi Tech Hall of Fame.” In his address to the function, Professor Roy Sharp, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, described Mr Jordan as “an illustrious graduate” of the university. “ More recently his work with Endeavour Capital has been great, and I am particularly pleased that he has opened a Christchurch office because that will help the young researchers of the region to get their R&D (research and development) to the market,” Professor Sharp said. The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Pete Hodgson, said Mr Jordan had also played an important governance role for the Government, serving on the boards of AgResearch and the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology. “ Today [Mr Jordan serves] as a member of the Prime Minister’s Growth and Innovation Advisory Board where I get to watch him in action, and he’s impressive. It’s a richly deserved award.” The Tait Electronics Flying Kiwi Award celebrates New Zealanders who achieve significant success in the hi-tech sector for themselves and their organisation through immense and sustained personal effort. After winning the inaugural Flying Kiwi honour last year, Sir Angus agreed to sponsor this year’s award. “ I’ve long felt a responsibility to help foster a strong local hi-tech industry, hence our participation in the New Zealand Hi Tech Awards,” Sir Angus said. “In particular, I’m pleased that this award recognises the achievements of our industry’s most committed individuals.” The award judges said of Mr Jordan: “He will always be remembered for being the first kiwi to fly in one of the world’s iconic stock markets, and his success is still a benchmark towards which other New Zealand technology companies can aspire.” Mr Jordan’s philanthropic activities through the Jordan Foundation include funding many educational scholarships as well as supporting the performing arts and various other charities. In 1999 he was invested as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. For
further information, please contact: Released
by Simon Hendery, Bullet PR
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