NZRL Zones

Northland

General Manager
Alex Smits
ph: 09 437 9640

Alex has been appointed to the role from February 20, 2012. He comes to Rugby League Northland from Wellington Rugby League where he was Community Development Manager with a special focus on increasing league participation in schools and the Leadership through League programme.

National Competition team

Rugby League Northland Zone Board
Whangarei and Northland.

Rugby League Northland Zone Board- Director Biographies

BRUCE PEDEN - Chairman
Bruce is a highly qualified, versatile and motivated individual with extensive experience in General Management. He is a results focused manager who recognises extraordinary sustainable results can only be achieved through leading and developing cohesive efforts of the team members in an organisation. Bruce is a strong forward thinking leader with the ability to generate and bring to life strategic concepts. He is currently the General Manager Ernest Adams & Irvines for Goodman Fielder New Zealand and has been in this role since February 2008 and was previously the Manufacturing Director Baking New Zealand of the same company. Bruce has a diploma in Management from University of Auckland and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Otago. Bruce resides in Kaukapakapa and enjoys scuba diving and lifestyle block farming. He was a Club and representative rugby league player through junior grades, playing through to Under 19s with Huntly South and representing Waikato on occasions.

SHARON BIRD
Sharon has been involved with Rugby League for many years and is currently the Secretary for Whangarei City and Districts Rugby League. Her involvement expands also to the Portland Rugby League club where she is a life member. Sharon was a winner for the NZ Woman in League 2010, where she was awarded the Volunteer of the Year 2010. Sharon has served over 30 years service to Rugby League in Northland. She is currently employed with Te Wananga o Aotearoa as a Senior Administrator/HR, and she currently resides in Whangarei and has one adult son.

TOM JACKSON
Growing up in the Canterbury Bankstown district in Sydney makes Thomas an avid follower of rugby league, which he played in school and the district from the age of 10 to 20 years. He moved to New Zealand with his Kiwi wife in 1977 where he began his career as Managing Director for Guardian Assurance, a role that spanned 22 years. His previous employer was Royal and Sun Alliance, now Asteron, where he was the General Manager of Marketing and Sales. Part of his role was consideration of sports sponsorship applications from individuals and organizations. Thomas has worked with Harbour Sport and Tennis Northern in voluntary capacities in a number of community based programmes. He is the Committee President, and has been for 15 years, for the Shore to Shore Fun Run/Walk which is an annual event where profit is distributed as grants to participating schools. For the past four years Thomas has also been a member of the Executive Committee for Tennis Northern Region where he was Chair for two of these years. He is currently a trustee of the Guardian Assurance Pension Fund. Thomas is an active sports participant in competitive tennis, golf, cycling and the gym and currently resides in Milford, North Shore City.

JAINE LOVELL-GADD
Jaine has a Business Diploma (Marketing) and Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University and has been a member of NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1991. Jaine is currently the Manager Governance and Monitoring of Council Controlled Organisations at the Auckland Council. Jaine has extensive experience on developing significant projects in Auckland, these projects include the redevelopments of Mt Smart Stadium, Britomart, Art Gallery, Aotea Square and the New Lynn Town Centre. Jaine is currently a Trustee on the Don Oliver Youth Sports Foundation Board, an organization established to sponsor and support the youth of West Auckland at the pre-elite stage in their sporting development, and a Board member on the NZ Council for Infrastructure Development. Jaine has a strong interest in strengthening the community through participation in sport. She is married with 2 adult sons.