NZ Golf CEO Dean Murphy wins coveted NZ leadership award
New Zealand Golf CEO, Dean Murphy, was awarded the C.K. Doig Leadership Award during the annual New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards night in Wellington earlier this week.
Now in their 11th year, the awards are organised and hosted by Sport NZ to recognise and celebrate excellence in New Zealand’s sport and recreation sector.
It was an emotional accolade for Mr Murphy, who had to travel to Wellington on Monday night to receive the honour which recognised outstanding leadership by an executive sport and recreation leader.
“Its really humbling to see the people who have stood before me and held this award,” Mr Murphy told the NZ Herald.
“I really love what we do and I really love the organisation I work for.
“Its been quite a ride and our sport in particular has grown so much and there’s still so much to do and I’m quite enthused for the future, but right now I think this is an award for the board, all the staff that aren’t here and our organisation.”
Starting his career at New Zealand Golf as the Commercial Manager in 2007, Murphy later spent a year as the acting CEO before officially taking up the role in 2010.
In recent times Murpy has initiated several project which came to fruition last year including the Golf Sector Plan for Auckland, the Casual Golf initiative, plus the Love Golf and She Loves Golf campaigns.
“It’s vital that we recognise the work and people that support and encourage New Zealanders to be physically active and to win on the world stage, and for me this is a highlight of the year,” says Sport NZ Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin.
“In Dean we have a superb leader, but what sets him apart is not what he has done, but more how he has led. He is an extremely good listener and an empathetic friend. People warm to him and believe in him.”
In the past eight years, Murphy has led the organisation from strength to strength overseeing a new community-focused approach in the sector, employing several Sector Support Managers around the country.
Earlier winners of the Award include well-known names such as Steve Tew from New Zealand Rugby and Keryn Smith of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Photo credit: Nic Cammell
2018 Sport and Recreation Awards winners:
- COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP
Surf Life Saving NZ and BP - COMMUNITY IMPACT
Just Shift It – The Shift Foundation - EVENT EXCELLENCE
World Masters Games 2017 - HIGH PERFORMANCE CAMPAIGN
Black Ferns’ Women’s Rugby World Cup Campaign 2017 - INNOVATION EXCELLENCE
Athletics NZ – Vertical Pursuit 2017 and Beyond! - LOTTO NEW ZEALAND SPORT MAKER AWARD
Sarah Shand - C.K. DOIG LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dean Murphy - FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP
Joe Hitchcock - LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
David Abercrombie
Cushla McGillivray
Bill Main OBE
