I grew up in Masterton and Upper Hutt, and have since lived in Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Auckland, and now Whanganui. I have travelled around New Zealand a lot, and feel quite familiar with almost all areas and most major towns and cities.

Qualifications

I have a technicians' certificate in electronics design (NZCS, physics / electronics) and have completed part of a degree in Electrical Engineering. I also have a diploma from CLBC (Christian Life Bible College) which is recognised as being an adequate pastoral qualification.

Work History

I worked for DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) and Solid State Electronics during the 1970s. Since then I have almost continuously been self employed in various businesses that have all involved development, and at times, research. Most of the projects I have taken on have been technically innovative and challenging. During the 1980s I switched from equipment development to software development, which is still a big part of my business.

I have two sisters. I was married for thirty years and had four sons, all adult, before being divorced. I have made some big changes in my life in the past, with more changes likely to come. I now have a great relationship with a very supportive partner, Laurie (Lorraine) Wilson, and have a more fruitful and rewarding life than ever before. Laurie has two adult sons. Between us, we have seven grand-daughters and five grand-sons - so far.

Interests

For more than twenty years, I was very actively involved in community and church work. A lot of this work involved personal counselling and support. I am not currently directly involved in any formal work of this nature, but enjoy the opportunities I get to serve others in various ways. I am a computer consultant, working as a Business Process Engineer, involving process modelling, improvement and automation. In my personal time, I am an artist and photographer. I enjoy getting out into the outdoors and my art works and photos reflect this.

For further details you could visit my business pages at http://www.amba.nz.