Frankie takes the chair

Former All Whites goalkeeper Frank van Hattum is New Zealand Football's new chairman after the sport's annual congress elected a new seven member board on Wednesday.

Van Hattum, Retail Manager and a director at BP, replaces outgoing Chairman John Morris who stood down at congress after serving in the role for six years.

A former chair of Capital Football, van Hattum said the sport needed to build on the growing commitment to collaboration within the game.

"A positive congress was another signal that people within the sport are increasingly pulling in the same direction, and that we all recognise what we can achieve together," van Hattum said.

The annual general meeting between New Zealand Football and its seven regional federations produced agreement that achieving financial sustainability remained the highest priority, and a commitment to implementing a new strategic plan for 2009-11 by October this year.

Congress thanked outgoing chairman John Morris for his contribution to the game as well as that of staff who have departed during recent restructuring.

Van Hattum, who stood for re-election despite being halfway through a two-year term, was voted back to the board by the sport's federations along with Fred de Jong, while Andrew Titter was reappointed by the sport's Board Appointments Panel.

Previously co-opted members Mark Aspden and Bill Moran were appointed as full members, with Moran taking the role of deputy chair.

Mainland Football chairman Mark Stewart (elected) and former media executive Peter O'Hara (appointed) are newcomers to the board.

O'Hara has previous director experience with Fairfax New Zealand, the New Zealand Press Association and the New Zealand Newspapers Publishers Association, the latter two as chair.

O'Hara's management background included Chief Operating Officer, Editor-in-chief, and deputy chief executive officer of Fairfax New Zealand.

He was general manager of the Christchurch Press, General Manager of the Waikato Times, general manager of TVNZ News and Current Affairs and managing editor of the New Zealand Press Association.

Stewart, Managing Director of investment company Masthead Limited, has previous governance experience with PDL Holdings (Managing director), Canterbury Manufacturer's Association and at the Canterbury branch of Export New Zealand (President).

In 2000, a three-year New Zealand Rugby League appointment to manage Canterbury Rugby League out of insolvency began Stewart's involvement in sports governance. He was appointed to Mainland Soccer's board in 2006 and bacame chairman in 2007.

Stewart is also Honorary Consul for Malaysia in the South Island and Patron of the Malayan Veterans Association.