John Russell

Senior New Zealander of the Year

2016

Ryman Healthcare

Senior New Zealander of the Year

Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau

John Russell

John is a previous principal of Naenae College. Under his leadership the school grew, the morale improved and staff have stepped up to take on more responsibility, becoming leaders themselves. With a strong passion for learning and children he continued as principal for a total of 11 years.

John went on to become a Leadership Advisor mentoring beginning secondary school principals. He has also served as a commissioner of the Tertiary Education Commission and was honoured with a MNZM award in 2019.

Creating a legacy for tomorrow, these people have made a positive contribution to Aotearoa later in their life, following their careers in any service, sector or field. They are actively involved in making the world around them a better place.

Nominees of this Award must:

Be over the age of 70, at the open of nominations on 24 July 2025.
Have had significant impact in their senior years
Be a role model for New Zealanders and highlight that change is possible at any age
Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.

Award Criteria

Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:

10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done later in life to inspire you to nominate them as 2026 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau.
10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how?
10 points: LEADERSHIP & SERVICE:
How does this person set a positive example of being a senior member of the community – showing potential for making change at any age.
10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond following their career, achievements, or service to create change and give back?
10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence, particularly during their senior years? How has this been measured?
10 points: LEGACY
How would winning this award impact this person’s legacy and their mahi (past or present)?