Mike lives in Auckland with Anne, his partner of more than 25 years.  He is very parochial about Auckland in particular and New Zealand in general. He can’t understand why anyone who has a choice would live anywhere else other than New Zealand, or possibly Australia.

His “children” (Mark now back in NZ) and Michaela (living in Australia) both have their own families including each giving Mike two amazing, gorgeous grndchildren, 2 in 2013 and 2 in 2015.    Mike spends time with them whenever he can.

As is normal in information pages of this type, his experiences are listed below.

There are two lists, one to make him look smart and clever, the other makes him look crazy. You can decide which is which!

List 1

Associate of the Arbitrators & Mediators Institute (AAMINZ) ret.

Rotary Browns Bay President 2017-2018   ( Member since 1993)

Rotary Paul Harris Fellow (Sapphire)

Chair of Stop Demand Charitable Foundation www.stopdemand.org   (2007 -

Guest Speaker - MIOMO Youth Development Program (2010 - 2016)

Facilitator in Positive Parenting Seminars

Foundation Member and Past President - East Coast Bays Toastmasters

Initiated 3 successful Mastermind groups

Real Estate Career and History

Commenced in Real Estate Agency in 1970

Associate (AREINZ) of the Real Estate Institute in 1974

Fellow (FREINZ) of the Real Estate Institute in 1995

Director of Homes4Rent Ltd www.homes4rent.co.nz (2007 -

Founder/Chair of the Real Estate Dispute Resolution Centre Ltd (2011 - 2016)

National Councillor of the Real Estate Institute of NZ (2001 - 2010)
Foundation Board member of Realenz.co.nz (1994 - 1997)

Board member of realestate.co.nz Ltd (2008 - 2010)

Board member of Zoodle Ltd (2009 - 2010)

Board member of Real Estate Insurances Ltd (2009 - 2010)

Board member of the Auckland Multiple Listing Bureau (over 25 years)
REINZ Auckland District Committee member 1991 - 2008

REINZ Auckland District President 1994 - 1996

REINZ representative for 9 years on Government development and monitoring of tenancy legislation

Chair of Property Press North Shore Feasibility Group

Inaugural Chair of Property Press North Shore

Guest Lecturer on Real Estate Law, Unitec New Zealand (2001 - 2015)

Expert Witness (on real estate agency) - High Court

Expert Witness - Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal

Advocate - Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal

Represented clients at Real Estate Agents Licencing Board hearings and won

Represented clients at the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal and won

Main charitable organisations supported:

   Rotary International, www.rotary.org.nz

   Stop Demand, www.stopdemand.org

   Mercy Ships www.mercyships.org.nz

   Fred Hollows Foundation, www.hollows.org.nz

   Fistula Fundation, www.fistulafoundation.org

   Auckland (Westpac) Rescue Helicopter, www.rescuehelicopter.org.nz

List 2

Father 2 Great Kids, Mark and Michaela

Grandfather to the beautiful Amber, Alissa, Alexandra and Taddeo and the amazing Luke
Survived major heart attack (1995)

7 years in Paremoremo maximum security prison - voluntarily!

      (running weekly self-development programs)

Parachute - solo
Parachute - tandem
Paragliding (jumped off a cliff)
Caving
Flown a microlight
Flown a Cessna

Flown DC8 and 737 simulators

Been on patrol on Auckland's Police "Eagle" helicopter

White water rafting
Black water rafting (white water rafting on underground river)
Sledging (white water on a body board!)
Rowed a clinker built boat down the Wanganui River (6 days – 135+ rapids)
Climbed Auckland's Sky Tower - on the outside way above the look-out levels
Sailed America’s Cup yacht

Sailed Sir Peter Blake's Whitbread around the world winner "Steinlager 2" (Big Red) 
Sailed Whitbread 60 racing yacht and been to top of mast while sailing

Sailed 2 square rigged ships (Tradewind & Soren Larsen)

Sailed a houseboat on the Murray River
Sailed a Blocart land yacht

High ropes courses
Abseiling
Kayaking
Scuba dived the Great Barrier Reef and Rarotonga

Snorkelled the Mediterranean and Tahiti

Evening trip through canals of Venice in Gondola with Anne

Petted a hippopotamus - true!
Top of Empire State Building

Played Poker with the (late) Maori Queen Dame Te Atairangikaahu
Played poker in Vegas, and won

Played Poker in Vegas and lost!

Ridden in the Space Shuttle launch simulator at Kennedy Space Centre

Ridden every roller coaster in Orlando, Florida
Ridden a Segway

Caught trophy trout by fly fishing

Sailed through the Panama Canal
Hula danced in Tahiti
Numerous personal development programs (still not fixed!)

User of self-hypnosis
Transcendental Meditator since 1970
Public speaker (International no less!)
Parliamentary candidate (3 times).   Polled 2nd highest Party vote in 1999, behind Rodney Hide
On stage at meet the candidates meeting with (against) Rob Muldoon

Local Body candidate (once) unsuccesful, probably a good thing!

Introduced "3 Strikes" law to NZ Government, now law.  Awesome.
TV appearances including national news (many times), Holmes Show and Close Up

Guest appearance on TV series Shortland St (NZ answer to Coronation St)!
Live radio interviews (some as political candidate)

Official Guest at Oxford Union Debate - Black Tie Dinner etc etc (May 2015)

Initiated RE/MAX arrival into NZ (ouch!)
Sued RE/MAX and won, only person in NZ to have done so

Philanthropist
Represented self in District Court (won 1, lost 1, drawn 1!)
Ex Toastmaster - Founder Member East Coast Bays Club
Published author (magazine articles)

Soccer coach - schoolboys

Trivial Pursuits Quizmaster (available for charity functions)

Enjoyed Rolling Stones as local dance band before their fame - 1961-1963

Had feet cleaned by fish

Still adding to the list!

If you are still here, you are still interested so, who inspires me?