District 9940 Nominee for DG 2015/16 Announced

On Wednesday we had the pleasure of attending the lunch meeting of Hutt City to announce the District Governor Nominee  for our District 2015/16.  It was our pleasure to announce Simon Manning of the Hutt City Rotary to this role.

The function was attended by many past DGs,  DGE and DGN.  It was a special event for Simon and Brad and Hutt City Rotary and we wish Simon and the club the very best on the journey ahead.

Below are some biographical details on Simon and Brad.

Simon Manning was born in Lower Hutt, and educated at various schools in the Hutt Valley.

At the age of 13, following the deaths of his Grandparents in very close succession and the impact of those deaths, he was drawn to find out more about funerals. He worked for a Wellington funeral company in his school holidays and eventually joined that company at the completion of his schooling.

Following his formal training through the Central Institute of Technology, he qualified in Embalming and Funeral Directing.

In 1989 Simon set up his own business, Harbour City Funeral Home. Simon joined Rotary in 1990 with Mt Victoria Rotary Club, he stayed with Rotary for a few years, but pressures of operating a new business and Rotary’s requirement for strict attendance saw him reluctantly resign in the mid-90’s.

Simon joined the Rotary Club of Hutt City in 2006, when it was suggested by a long-time friend, Murray Bond, that it was time to come back to Rotary. Simon is the immediate Past President of Hutt City Rotary.

Simon lives in Wellington with his partner Brad McAneney.  Brad has a Bachelor of Social Work from Massey University, which he obtained prior to joining the funeral profession. In 2002 Brad graduated from Weltec with a Diploma in Funeral Services.

Brad is a shareholder in the company and manages the Guardian Funeral Home brand in Johnsonville and Tawa. Brad is a member of the Rotary Club of Wellington North, and is currently a director of its Youth Committee.

Spare time sees Simon and Brad attending to their grapes in Martinborough, where they have a small lifestyle block. You may just see them on weekends in the Wairarapa, Brad on his Harley Davidson and Simon in his Blue Mini!