Formway Chairman Recognised for Design Leadership
23 Sep 2008
Chairman and former Chief Executive of Formway Furniture Rick Wells has been awarded the Outstanding Individual Award for 2008 at the New Zealand Design in Business Awards. In an extract from the presentation, courtesy of the Design Business Awards, Rick Wells is recognised for his vision, leadership contribution and achievement in the field of design in business in New Zealand.
"Rick Wells is being honoured tonight because he is an exceptional and inspiring business leader who has been instrumental in creating one of New Zealand’s exemplary design-led businesses and because of his extraordinary energy and commitment to share his expertise with others.
Formway’s success is the result of many people’s dedication and innovative skill. It is also the result of visionary and inspired leadership. Rick has a reputation for being a clear strategic thinker and a natural marketer. He is that unusual animal who is equally left brained and right brained, able to combine commercial acumen with a laser sharp focus on the value design can create.
But beyond Rick’s commercial success, we are also honouring his contribution to the wider design and business sectors. Rick is well known and respected for his leadership and mentoring roles including his work with the New Zealand Furniture Exporters Group. Of significant impact, was Rick’s contribution to the Design Taskforce where he played a pivotal role in developing a design strategy which paved the way for New Zealand businesses to become more internationally competitive.
Ray Labone, the Taskforce Chairman, says Rick provided a reality check as a businessman who could speak from experience of integrating design into a company. Ray describes Rick as the classic example of an egoless leader, a man who has transformed a company into what is probably the benchmark for manufacturing in New Zealand.
Rick’s has also made a significant community contribution through his role as founding trustee of the Dowse Foundation. He developed the vision for the New Dowse extensions and was instrumental in raising a large portion of the $6 million needed to complete the building work.
Above all Rick Wells is a modest person. A person of exceptional integrity, underpinned by high ethics and morals. For many of us in the design and business community you are an icon. New Zealand needs more business leaders of your calibre and we are both proud of you and immensely grateful for the inspiration your achievements provide. So Rick, for your quiet leadership, for your broad contribution to promoting design in the community, and for your tireless commitment to raising awareness of design in business, we have great pleasure in presenting you with this well deserved Outstanding Individual Award."
The Design in Business Awards are held annually by the Designers’ Institute of New Zealand, in association with Better by Design.