Executive Committee

The Executive committee provides...

President H.M. (Howard) Mace
Vice-President R.G. (Red) Beatson
Secretary B.E. (Barbara) Fleissner
Treasurer T.A. (Tymon) Porter
A.G. (George) McGregor
A.W.J. (Tony) McNeight
R.J. (Rebecca) Nelson
S.M. (Sonia) Porter

Meet the Office Holders

President
H.M. (Howard) Mace

Howard served in the New Zealand Army as Territorial Force volunteer and as a National Serviceman while at University. Upon graduation he joined the Regular Force as a Dental Officer and served for over 32 years with all three services, New Zealand Police and also with the Indonesian Armed Forces.

He joined the Devonport RSA to renew some of the comradeship he found in all the services and to continue to serve his fellow service personnel as their needs change. Howard regards the RSA as part of our community and will work to help where and when he can.

Vice President
Red (Ray) Beatson

In 1960, while still at school, he was attested into the Northland Regiment as a private soldier. He enlisted in the Regular Force in 1962. After serving in both the regular and territorial force he retired in 2002. During his career he served on operations in Malaysia, Borneo, and Vietnam. He joined an RSA in 1967. In 2015 he was co-opted onto the Devonport RSA Executive Committee, and was elected Vice President in 2016. Red believes the RSA’s objectives are welfare, representation, and commemoration. He says that the RSA should provide a focal point for veterans, serving personnel, their families, and the community

Secretary
Barbara Fleissner

On completion of a 34 year career in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), Barbara retired in November 2012 in the rank of Commander. During her time in the RNZN, Barbara was posted in various roles ranging from communications, career management, divisional appointments, leadership and management training and, in the last 10 years of her service career, Public Relations/Media and as Navy Protocol Officer (Visits, Events and VIP Manager). Barbara joined the Devonport RSA in 2016 and was appointed to the role of Secretary in 2019 and as a Trustee on the Poppy Day Trust. Barbara is enjoying working with the members, as a trustee and as part of the executive committee, to bring fresh and innovative ideas into the Devonport RSA and with the wider local community.

Treasurer
Tymon Porter

Tymon joined the RSA because of his involvement in Navy Cadets, where he has been a member for 8 years. Over that time, Tymon rose to the rank of Warrant Officer Cadet recently serving as the Unit Coxswain and Training Officer. As the youngest RSA member, Tymon left Westlake Boys High School at the end of 2017. He is currently to studying a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Auckland, and is en route to a commissioning as an officer in the New Zealand Cadet Forces. Tymon is really excited to be involved in Devonport RSA, he has lots of ideas and enthusiasm so watch this space.

Meet the Committee Members

Meet our song bird RSA committee member, RNZN Reservist Rebecca Nelson.

Born and bred in Christchurch, Rebecca moved up to Auckland after the 2011 earthquake & nothing could prepare her for what happened next. Busking on the streets of Devonport she was spotted by the Musical Director of the RNZN Band and before she knew it, she was signing up as a reservist as the official singer for the RNZN. In her 5 years with the Navy, Rebecca has had the honour and privilege of singing at centenary commemorations in Gallipoli, The Somme and Passchendaele. She regularly sings at commemorations around the country and has formed a very special bond with many veterans.

Outside of the Navy, Rebecca is a full time singer and last year released an Album with Sony Music called Poppies and Pohutukawa. You may of seen her perform at various events including singing the National Anthem at All Blacks test matches. She also runs a successful singing school with students from age 6 to 83.

Rebecca is extremely passionate about the welfare of our veterans, servicemen and women. She has been a Poppy Appeal ambassador for the last 2 years, teaming up with RSA National and other local celebrities to promote the amazing work of the RSA and encourage kiwis to give generously on Poppy Day.

Rebecca is excited to be part of the Devonport RSA committee and brings some great new fresh ideas - watch this space.

Meet our talented artist Devonport RSA committee member Tony McNeight

Tony is Devonport raised so he has seen many Devonport RSA services in his short 63 years. He comes to the committee having had a father who served in the Pacific Theatre in WW2 and a relative who died on the Somme in WW1. This heartfelt passion for those men and women who served and gave their lives led to Tony to concepting and creating a Giant Poppy in the Auckland domain in 2015 consisting of 59,000 (the number of men and woman killed or wounded in WW1) red metal poppy petals or discs written on and laid by people to lost loved ones - in all theatres of war.This raised $60,000 for the NZRSA. In 2017 the French government invited Tony to take the concept to Arras, France where the same was repeated, this time with 6,000 petals being placed, culminating in the President of France and the Prime minister of Canada laying the lost two Poppies with their own personal messages. Tony is also Chair of the Devonport Arts and Music Trust and brings to the Devonport RSA his full support as it moves into the years ahead.