Keystone's Past Events
2012 AWARDS EVENING – 24 NOVEMBER
VIADUCT EVENTS CENTRE, AUCKLAND
The 2012 Awards were presented to the students at a function at the new Viaduct Events Centre on Thursday 24 November.
Five Keystone Scholarships were given to students this year - an all female line up! Three architectural students - Natasha Sheldon, Elyjana Roach and Ingrid Schwalm-McEwan. Sage Andrews - who will study a B.Planning was the 4th recipient and the 5th student studying landscape architecture is Jacqueline Paul. This group of students is a very deserving one - the panel chose them after interviewing ten people, chosen from a group of 73 applications, our biggest number ever! Well done to you five young ladies - we know you will do well and we are here to support you over the coming years, especially in 2012 as you begin your tertiary study. You've all excelled at school, so go out there and show us what else you have in store - shine on your stars! Good luck.
Our Key Sponsor awards were also presented at the event. The Bayleys student for 2012 is Hilary McNaughton and Coffey Projects awarded Joseph Sturm with their 2012 scholarship. Westfield decided to give Callum Newson-Brown their award for the second year running. All these students are very grateful for these opportunities - they know that the award can provide them with the opportunities to being very successful in their careers.
Because of the exam timetable this year Elyjana and Ingrid were unable to travel to Auckland for the Awards Event so will have to wait until 2012 when the event for 2013 students will be held to experience this great occasion. Joseph Sturm was also unable to attend the function as he was in Germany.
Graduating students were also given their moment of glory on the stage when they were introduced to the audience - congratulations to all the 2011 graduants - what an effort, the Trust is very proud of your ongoing effort - all the hard work has paid off and nearly all have work in the industry - well done!
Held at the stunning new Auckland venue on the waterfront, this night was one to remember for those who attended. Sponsors receive ten tickets as part of their package and the groups of people from the sponsor companies certainly had a great time - enjoyed the fantastic food catered by Sky City Catering - and there was a lovely selection of wines and beers for all to enjoy. MC Olly Driver again played an important role in keeping the evening running smoothly and this year the students made the most of people in the industry being keen to talk to them - these networking opportunities at Keystone's events are what sets students ahead of their peers - gives them an edge.
Not only is the financial benefit of a scholarship highly sought after, but the support and involvment with people in the property industry give all Keystone Trust students a very real helping hand, both while they study and when they are employed.
The night was very successful and enjoyed by 220 people - some went on to further celebrate and some even made it to the casual breakfast the next morning.
Thanks to all who attended - especially some alumni who travelled to Auckland for the event. Its great to see some "oldies" at these events, welcoming the newbies and encouraging others to do well with hard work and by making the most of networking with people they meet along the way.
Thank you also to our sponsors who make such a difference to people's lives.
Tamati Sage Hilary Jacqueline Natasha Callum Sam Martin Alison Raukura and Claire
Jacqueline Natasha Sage Keystone 2012 Graduating 2011 Sam Rau Claire Martin
Mike Higgins, Chairman Nga Remu saved the day/event. Thank you!
AUGUST 5 2011 BLEDISLOE CUP RUGBY LUNCH at CROWNE PLAZA
KEYSTONE TRUST BLEDISLOE CUP LUNCH
On Friday 5th August the Trust had our one big fundraising event of the year - it was a huge success!! This year the event was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel where we were very impressed with the food, the service, the management of the event - all went very smoothly.
Guest speakers Tim Horan, renowned Wallaby and the one and only Justin Marshall, All Black, teamed up with MC Scotty 'Sumo' Stevenson - what an awesome line up! The afternoon was a humorous one, the two ex rugby greats enjoyed ribbing each other, telling stories from past games and socialisin, and the audience appeared to be greatly appreciative of this talent! We heard some very funny stories and anecdotes, and their thoughts on the game that was played the next day - the winning team was predicted by all three, yes the All Blacks did win the game, which we hope is the end result of the Rugby World Cup too!
The meal was superb, smoked chicken entree with a lamb rump main course. Petit fours, chocolates and delightful NZ cheeses followed. The wines and beers flowed and the guests were soon in a mellow happy mood - Friday afternoon lunches are the best!
Liam Rooney who is graduating with a B Property (Valuation) end of 2011 spoke about his experience as a student and a Keystone Scholar - he has done very well at uni and with work opportunities in his 3 years with Keystone - he'll be well sought after as an employee. Thanks to Liam for speaking to the audience and sharing his stories with us.
Our auction was very successful, we raised $27k plus and the Trust is very grateful to our sponsors and other organisations and companies who provided items for auction, and for those people who bid on the items - these funds ensure the future of our Trust and provide the necessary monies to support students in the future. The afternoon was a really pleasant time for all, very entertaining and enjoyable.
Look out for this event around August/September next year - several people missed out on tickets, so keep it in your calendar for 2012 and buy your table early!
Justin Marshall & Tim Horan Liam Rooney speaking
APRIL 28 2011
SPONSORS PARTY - Organised by the Alumni Group and the Trust
We held our annual 'thank you to sponsors and supporters' event on Thursday 28 April in the new Ernst & Young building at Britomart. This building is fantastic! One of our scholars, Shane Phillips is a project manager with Coffey Projects and worked on this new build which was officially opened recently. Its certainly worth a visit - especially if you come by train, you can alight the train right under the foyer of this amazing building - where the biggest living wall in NZ will impress you.
Our event was held on Level 9 and the view over the harbour and port to Devonport and beyond was amazing until darkness set in. The space is state of the art with a huge kitchen - Bodie produced fantastic food for the guests, canapes that were delicious and plentiful. The wines were of very good quality and everyone enjoyed a few glasses, or a cold beer or two.
We had some of our Wellington and Auckland architectural students' work set up in the foyer - scholarship recipients who are at varying stages of their study. Simone Sharp had created an impressive PowerPoint which ran during the evening showing where so many of our former students are now, complete with our sponsors' logos. Several alumni and nearly all our Auckland students were present and mingled with sponsors, supporters and their partners. This event was a chance for them to all learn more about each other, build on the relationships that will help them succeed in the industry.
The highlight of the evening was after three alumni had shared stories of their sporting prowess - BJ, Mary and Steve, thank you! - seeing the obvious delight on Paul Duffy's face as the alumni presented him with a gift and flowers along with a card made by Thao signed by alumni and students, thanking him for his generosity, time and guidance as chairman.
Mike Higgins, now in the role of chairman, spoke of his intention to try and live up to Paul's reputation - he presented Paul with a gift from the Trustees and thanked him for the work he has done for the trust since its inception.
Paulo Naititi gave a wonderful speech about his time with Keystone - and his new job with Matrix, one of Keystone's big supporters. Paulo has achieved highly at uni and really appreciates the support of the trust along the way, he is loving his job and no doubt delighting in earning some dollars each week after being a poor student for 4 years at Engineering School, UoA.
We appreciated the use of the space in the EY building - organised by John Schellekens - it is an ideal place to hold such an event and we thank you all at EY for your assistance with the set up and running of the event. Some guests took a wander through the building to learn more about this new edition to Britomart.
Thanks to all who made this event a real success, thanks to all our sponsors, supporters, trustees and associates. Seeing all the young people at this event really makes one proud to be part of this great organisation. The ongoing support both financial and otherwise is truly appreciated by everyone involved. Kia ora!
Paul is thanked by Alumni Group
Property lads
Mary and Raukura Guests at the event
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2011 AWARDS DINNER - EDEN PARK SOUTH STAND LOUNGE, 26 NOVEMBER 2010
The Annual Awards Dinner was held on Friday 26 November at the South Stand Lounge, Eden Park in Auckland. The venue was everything we had anticipated – spacious and comfortable, excellent service from the staff, with a brilliant outlook from the balcony on Level 4 over the park. Eden Park Trust management allowed us to show a presentation of Keystone’s sponsors on the Superscreens – the various sponsors enjoyed seeing their logos in giant size - these would have been visible from Mt Eden itself!
David Kennedy (CEO Eden Park Trust) led people on a tour of the building before the night kicked off and this was really appreciated by those who viewed the new stadium.
The less formal atmosphere than we have had in the past was enjoyed by all; the students found it easy to move around and meet people in the industry, talk to one another and to the alumni who attended. There was a big Keystone turnout, alumni and students came from all over NZ and took the opportunity to make the most of being among property industry people. Many guests commented on the more casual theme – a welcome change from formal dinners in the past. It was easier for all to make the most of the night, catch up with colleagues and friends, meet new people and get to know the students that we and our sponsors support.
The seven scholarships for 2011 were presented to the students:
Keystone Scholarship – 3 years @ $5000 pa – support and exposure to the industry:
Lauren Croft, Christchurch, off to study engineering at Canterbury University
Thomas Jones, Auckland – enrolling in a Bachelor of Property at Auckland Uni
Josh Nightingale, Waipu – also going to Canterbury for engineering
Te Rangimarie Parker – to study engineering at Auckland
Key Sponsor Scholarships:
Bayleys 2011 scholar – Craig Hassall , 4th year at Auckland in 2011
Coffey Projects – Hannah Gibson, also 4th year next year
Westfield – Callum Newson-Brown – who has been a Keystone Scholar the past 3 years and was chosen by Westfield for their scholarship in 2011.
These students are truly grateful for the opportunity of working with these property companies as well as the financial and networking support these awards bring.
Congratulations to everyone – we welcome you to Keystone and look forward to supporting you and following your successes over the years ahead.
During the event, food and wine matches were much appreciated and enjoyed – the newly branded Brut Cuvee from Brancott was a superb wine with the Te Matuku oysters. Two fabulous ports were served with the cheeses from Kapiti Cheese – a delicious selection of these popular cheeses was available.
Canapés were served on arrival, along with a variety of beverages. Main courses in the style of small portions of 4 types and then a dessert were served and enjoyed by the guests, especially some of the students who made the most of the opportunity to try some different tastes. The wine matches chosen worked very well, thank you to Pernod Ricard for your selections.
Being a warm sunny evening guests seemed very happy on the balcony as they arrived, and Oliver Driver, MC for the night, managed to coax them inside to welcome them along and to enjoy Louise Lagunda singing a fabulous choice of songs – Louise is a Filipino One Tree Hill College student who has real talent and a great future ahead of her in entertainment.
By 9.30pm about half the guests had departed after a fun night and good chance to catch up with friends and work colleagues, and to meet the students personally. Staff at the venue insisted on us being out by 10pm so we hurried people along who seemed reluctant to leave this amazing new venue – it was indeed a memorable evening for the 220 people there on the night.
Thank you to all the sponsors – without your continued support we couldn’t make a difference to the deserving recipients each year. They too are very grateful as they intimated in their speeches.
Thank you to all who made this evening a real success. As a venue – it is highly recommended for functions such as our Keystone Dinner.
RUGBY LUNCH AT THE HYATT FRIDAY 9 JULY 2010
The Keystone Rugby Lunch was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Auckland on Friday July 9th, the day before the All Blacks v. Springboks Tri Nations game at Eden Park. The game the next evening was great for All Black supporters – stunning result! The lunch was also a real success and attended by 325 people.
Bob Skinstad who was a Captain for the Springboks and is now a sports commentator in South Africa, and Bull Allen – one of the All Blacks top props - were the speakers. They were extremely entertaining and humorous. Melodie Robinson was an outstanding M.C. and the highlight of the afternoon was the three-way chat and Q and A session lead by Melodie. The strong rugby backgrounds of these three made sure the Rugby Lunch was a real success - they are great entertainers and had many stories to tell about their own rugby involvement and that of other players. It was a really enjoyable relaxing afternoon, great food and company.
Five students attended the lunch, and our thanks go to them for selling raffle tickets to the guests – we raised $2000 from this exercise, which all helps to fund students in 2011. We raised almost $40,000 in total which shows what great support people in the property industry give Keystone – it is such a worthwhile organisation and the ongoing support we receive at events such as this is very much appreciated by the trustees and students alike.
Applications are open now for 2011 scholarships, and a form can be downloaded from this website, closing date for Keystone Scholarships is 3 September 2010. With the continued support from our sponsors and guests attending our main fundraising events, like the Rugby Lunch, we can continue to assist deserving students studying in property related disciplines. Thank you, one and all, for your support.
2010 AWARDS PRESENTATION COCKTAIL EVENING 18 MARCH
The recipients of the 2010 Keystone Scholarships were presented with their awards at a very enjoyable Cocktail Evening at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron Ballroom at Westhaven on Thursday 18 March. There were about 140 people involved in property in attendance and it was a great opportunity for everyone to catch up and mingle with Trustees and students and alumni of Keystone. People were able to meet and chat with the 2010 students who have been awarded a Keystone Scholarship.
Two students travelled to Auckland to be presented with their awards, Shianne May from Whangarei and Carinnya Feaunati from Wellington, both studying architecture. The third recipient is an Aucklander, Lynda Granwal who is into engineering. The fourth recipient Jordan Marr was unable to travel from Otago where he is studying Land Surveying.
Congratulations to all these recipients - they enjoyed their first Keystone function and are all settling into university well. They report that they are very happy with their choice of study, so far. They were able to visit the 80 Queen Street building the next day which was very informative.
The Westfield, Coffey Projects and Bayleys Key Sponsor awards were also recognised at the event and the scholars presented with their certificates. The Key Sponsor winners for 2010 are all at university in Auckland this year.
Coffey Projects - James Goodhue and Kahwen Tan
Bayleys - Lauren Phillips
Westfield - Blair James
You can read more about the 2010 recipients in our latest newsletters online.
Click Here to read the March 2010 newsletter
This cocktail evening was a great celebration and many other Keystone students and alumni were present. It is always an ideal opportunity for students and graduates to meet influential people in the industry and network with them - an advantage of the Keystone Trust association.
Our thanks to the many sponsors who make our scholarships possible and give so much more than financial support.
CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL PARTY – 1 DECEMBER 2009
Sponsors, students, selection panel members, trustees and partners attended the annual Christmas Drinks event which was held at Level 17, 21 Queen Street Auckland on 1 December 09. This building has recently been upgraded and is a fantastic location, though the chill beams left a bit to be desired on such a balmy Auckland evening.
However, everyone enjoyed getting together for the evening, catching up with colleagues and meeting new people in the industry. Also it was an opportunity to mingle with some of the students and get to know them better, especially the 2009 ones who have completed their first tertiary year.
A few companies expressed an interest in becoming sponsors of Keystone which bodes well for the trust. The trust is growing each year and the more support we have from people in the industry the more students we can assist.
The view from 21 Queen Street is superb and the catering was exceptional – it was a very enjoyable occasion, though walking down the stairs to exit wasn’t part of the plan!
Thank you to all the sponsors and supporters of Keystone for your input in 2009, we look forward to a better year next year and to receiving your ongoing support in years to come. The success of so many students who go through university with Keystone’s support and then go on to become very valuable employees, is to be commended and without our sponsors, these students would not have the chance to thrive in the property industry.
Keystone appreciates the ongoing support of so many people and organisations in the industry and this annual function is one way we can show our gratitude.
BLEDISLOE CUP RUGBY LUNCHEON
Keystone held our annual Bledisloe Cup Lunch on July 17th 09 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. John Eales was a most captivating and entertaining speaker. It was a delight to hear his accounts of past games and experiences and his take on the All Blacks. He predicted the outcome of the game held the next day well – the AB’s beat the Aussies.
300 people attended this event and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the afternoon – it’s a great chance to relax and mingle with fellow property industry people and a few lucky punters won the auction items. Raffles for an Aussie jersey – signed by John Eales, a rugby ball signed by Dan Carter and three boxes of a dozen wine were won by 5 lucky guests.
The Luncheon is very popular and the support by companies purchasing tables and by the guests attending is very much appreciated by the Trust.
We will hold another lunch next year on the day before the South African Springbok and All Blacks game, on July 9th.
Thanks to all who attended the lunch and had a fun afternoon – look forward to seeing you at the event next year. Your ongoing support of the Trust is much valued by Trustees and students alike.
SPONSORS’ AWARDS DINNER APRIL 30 2009
The 2009 Awards Dinner was held on 30 April and was a great night of celebration. Oliver Driver was an excellent MC and sponsors, students, alumni, people from the industry all enjoyed networking and relaxing together. We were entertained by Peliasi's Tongan Dance Group and everyone had a night to remember.
The recipients of the 2009 Keystone awards are:
Amipeliasi Leha
Otahuhu, Auckland
Peliasi was a popular Tongan student at Otahuhu College and has begun his degree in Landscape Architecture at Auckland Unitec. He belongs to a Pacific Dance Group and has travelled out of NZ with this group. At college he was highly respected by his peers and teachers alike and his principal believes he will succeed in the future, whatever field he chooses. Art and mathematics are subjects he enjoys and will be a good foundation for his studies in Landscape Architecture.
Jared Olsen
Kaitaia
Jared is following in his father’s footsteps by enrolling in at Engineering School at the University of Auckland. He has a very strong record of sporting and academic achievements. Jared possesses an analytical and questioning mind and his past school principal stated that he is extremely diligent, focused and responsible - qualities Keystone see as important for an effective ambassador of our Trust and qualities to ensure success in his Engineering career.
Liam Rooney
Ruakaka
Liam is studying Valuation at Auckland University. He was Head Boy at Bream Bay College in 2008 and an all-round high achiever with many sporting accomplishments to his credit, playing in first grade teams of rugby, cricket, soccer and league. He is a strong leader and his school stated that he was an inspiring role model at college. Liam already has a strong work ethic and has made a smooth transition into University life.
Kahu Solomon
Paremata, Wellington
Kahu, is studying Architecture at Victoria University this year and has aspired to be an architect from an early age, according to one of his referees. He attended Aotea College in Porirua and his school principal stated that Kahu has the skills and attitude to be successful in tertiary and work environments. He emerged from a 2008 Outward Bound course “Mind, Body and Soul” with a focus and determination to follow his career in Architecture and is finding the year stimulating and inspiring.
Cynthia Yuan
Avondale, Auckland
Cynthia arrived in Auckland from China in 2000 and has achieved highly at Avondale College prior to starting her degree in Architecture at Auckland University. Her school principal described her as being a talented, conscientious student, constantly achieving excellent results while working at advanced levels. Her school successes were numerous in art, physics, geometry, calculation and literature. Cynthia is enjoying her University year and pleased with her choice of Architecture.
THE 2009 KEY SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS RECIPIENTS ARE:
Bayleys: James Fraser, B.Property/Commerce, Auckland
Brookfield: Alban Beaumont, B.Engineering/Commerce, Canterbury
James Haworth, B.Engineering (Civil), Canterbury
Coffey Projects: Klaus Carson, B.Architecture, Auckland
Adam Humphries, B.Engineering (Civil), Canterbury
Westfield: Chris Single, B.Property/Commerce, Auckland
All the above students were presented with their awards at the Dinner, held at RNZYS Westhaven.
Cocktail Evening for Sponsors November 24 2008 Mantell’s, Mt Eden, Auckland
Our Annual Cocktail Evening was held on a rainy night in November 08, but the weather didn’t deter everyone from enjoying themselves immensely. Sponsors were thanked for their generosity and support and the 2008 students were introduced. Three graduates spoke - Josh Leckie, graduating with degrees in Law and Science from Otago, George Djknavorian, graduating as a Bachelor of Business Studies (Valuation and Property Management) and Milan Jasarevic, Bachelor of Engineering. The Chairman, Paul Duffy and Trustee Corrina Gibbons-Hurinui both addressed the guests.
This is always a popular evening and 2008 was a memorable occasion for those who attended and enjoyed great hospitality from the people at Mantell’s - delicious food and a great choice in wines. Students from out of Auckland benefited from getting together and mixing with people from the industry and withi other students, past and present.
These events are an important part of liaising and networking with people involved in property, and a great way to thank our sponsors.
Keystone Luncheon 1 August 2008 - held the day prior to Bledisloe Cup Rugby Game - Hyatt Hotel
Our annual fundraising lunch was a great success on Friday 1st August - with a splendid auction held where people very generously bid for items much sought after, including Rachel Hunter’s bathing suit! We raised an excellent amount of funds for the Trust and are very grateful to our guests for participating in the auction and boosting the Trust’s bank balance. The Guest Speaker at the Luncheon was Nick Farr-Jones - he was a very invigorating speaker and he and the MC Andy Haden kept the audience entertained. The Hyatt food and ambience created a wonderful few hours for the guests - a warm up for the big game the next day when of course the best team won!
Our thanks to Alison Smith for organising this great event, her last for the Keystone Trust as she left her role shortly after this.
