OUR TEAM
ROB ELLER
President
Group Founder, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
From the 70s until now Mt Ruapehu has been Rob's home mountain. As they say, if you can ride Ruapehu you can ride anywhere in the world.
Rob wants to ensure that all people can engage in snow sports on Mt Ruapehu. He believes that to do this, the mountain needs to be run by people who have the passion as well as a vision for the future.
Having travelled and done many jobs over his working career combined with gaining qualifications in a number of fields, he doesn't claim to have all the answers, but does have passion and experience as well as practicality.
​
Rob was instrumental to changes in the RAL BOD members, after many years where RAL was not tendering out multi million dollar building contracts. This meant these contracts had conflicts of interest with existing members of the Board and their related parties.
Thankfully things have changed but there is still a long way to go to bring RAL back to its former glory. Rob really want to get all stakeholders engaged and the users of RAL services who really are us to make the decisions that will carry RAL forward.
Chairman
Past Club President & Life Pass Holder
Jason has a strong background in strategic business and management having held executive positions in the technology industry for over 20 years working across the USA, Canada and Australia. He is currently a shareholder and Managing Director of 360 Commerce an innovative SaaS software company.
In his spare time he indulges in his other passions including:
-
A lifelong passion for the mountains, having skied on Mt Raupehu for some 30 years. He has been involved in running one of the largest clubs, Rangatira Alpine Sports Club on Mt Ruapehu for over 10 years, having had a number of roles including President and Club Captain.
-
He has been involved in volunteer surf lifesaving for over 25 years and is currently a Patrol Captain at Muriwai surf beach.
-
Jason has also been involved with 'Christies Law'. He became involved with this group following a tragic murder of Christie Marceau. Jason worked closely with the Marceau family, Sensible Sentencing Trust and other stakeholders campaigning for a tightening of the bail laws in New Zealand. The new amendments to the Bail act were successfully passed into New Zealand law in 2013.
MIKE JONES
Vice Chairman
Past Club President & Life Pass Holder
Mt Ruapehu and especially Whakapapa has been a huge part of Mike's life since a very early age.
His father was a foundation member of Takapuna Ski Club and he has skied Whakapapa ever since - 56 years. He fervently believes that both Turoa and Whakapapa must be saved for the survival of the region.
​
Historically RAL has financially survived lean seasons, eruptions and have installed other lifts such as the High Noon on Turoa and the Waterfall Express on Whakapapa all without borrowing. Therefore, Mike believes it can be done!
​
As the National Sales Manager for one of New Zealand’s leading Plastic Products manufacturers, Mike is used to dealing with conflicting parties that have different agendas and goals, both internal and external and bringing all parties to a mutually beneficial conclusion.
He brings these skills as well as a burning passion for our Maunga and the area to this group.
DAVID KREBS
Treasurer
Club Member, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
David is an active 2nd generation skier and snowboarder. He appreciates the values of all three sides of the mountain and the importance of RAL to the surrounding communities and economies.
As a life pass holder, he has introduced his three children to skiing and snowboarding and they in turn also became life pass holders. I am a 2nd generation RAL Shareholder and a 2nd generation member of the Ruapehu Ski Club. David worked on the mountain many years ago and has a strong bond with te maunga.
​
Having active involvement with the independent shareholders reporting on the financial position of RAL, he has supported the positive recommendations. He realised very early on that the life pass holders are the future of RAL. They have provided significant investment, and they want the opportunity to gain equity in the Company to enable a voice.
SAM CLARKSON
Committee Member
Life Pass Representative
Group Founder, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
Sam is not afraid to ask the hard questions.
He is supporting Robert Krebs, our financial analyst to achieve the best outcome for you as a life pass holder.
-
Sam started out as child member of Havelock ski club. He has been completely immersed in the ski industry his entire adult life, working as a ski instructor, liftie in Happy Valley, in (the original) Knoll Ridge café, that said he has never actually been in RAL’s employ.
-
Sam operated the Chateau Service Station back in the day, which included AA breakdown and running the chain hire. He has owned and operated Edge to Edge Ski, Snowboard & Alpine specialists for 30 years.
-
He is now director of Skotel Alpine Resort. Sam has steered Skotel through exactly the same stormy waters as RAL regarding covid and the downturn in tourism. He has felt the pain of lockdown exactly as has RAL, and has learned the tricks to pivot, rationalise and adapt.
-
Sam believes Skotel will come out stronger for what it has endured. He was very much part of the Alternative Risk Assessment report that was tabled to the Board & Trust. It's worth a read. Sam is not afraid to ask the hard questions, and is here to see RAL turned around and see it thriving.
ROBERT KREBS
Committee Member
Life Pass Representative
3rd Generation Club Member, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
Robert's background and experience are well suited to represent you as a life pass holder and achieve the best outcome.
-
He is a life pass holder, 3rd generation shareholder and 3rd generation member of Ruapehu Ski Club.
-
He is currently the manager of the Benchmarking and Analyst Team for 'Stewart Brown' which is the leading Australian accounting firm which specialises in Not for Profit, Community and Aged Care. The company is the largest financial benchmarking survey company in Australia representing 40% of the aged care sector.
-
His skill set includes financial modelling, where he regularly assists clients on due diligence projects with acquisition or build costs ranging between $1m to $100m plus.
-
He works on consultancy projects dealing with Government, Private Sector, and the Not for Profit Sector.
-
He has written two RAL Alternative Shareholder Reports along with various other discussion papers alongside Sam Clarkson.
-
He is a team player and has a talented team of people passionate to save the Maunga working with him.
PETER THOMSON
Committee Member
Life Pass Holder & Former Ski Instructor
Peter started his career as a Russell McVeagh lawyer specialising in public share offerings such as the Vector IPO.
He then moved into marketing, strategy and investor relations for technology and finance startups in New York, London and New Zealand.
Peter is also the author of a book on Digital Marketing for Technology companies.
He has prior experience in capital raising from retail investors, equity crowdfunding and investor relations.
​
He is currently working in software development for a leading New Zealand venture capital firm.
RICHARD NESSON
Committee Member
Club Member, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
Richard has lived in the King Country for 34 years, predominantly as a sheep and beef farmer and a primary school teacher. More recently, he has become a kiwifruit ochard owner/manager and the owner of Slalom Lodge, Raurimu, a Restaurant, Bar and Accommodation business that he reinstated after 3 years of closure.
​
Richard has skied on Mt Ruapehu for 56 years and is very passionate about skiing. The Maunga is vital to his spirit, happiness and passion.
He has come to know a lot of people in the Ruapehu region, including Iwi and Hapu of Tuwharetoa and Ngati Haua.
​
He has developed strong relations with the present Mayor, MPs, other Mayors of the district and local Iwi. He is this groups liaison with the Chair of Tuwharetoa BOD.
​
He has a well grounded sense of business and how to manage businesses with composure and sound, sensible spending and development. He love progress and believes it is essential in life and business. He dearly wishes RAL, in which ever form, to succeed now and into the future for the many thousands of sightseers, skiers, snowboarders, who find joy and happiness on our jewel that is Mt Ruapehu.
ALAN J THORN
Committee Member
Past Mountain Host, Shareholder & Life Pass Holder
Alan is a passionate skier who calls Mt Ruapehau his home mountain. His first ski experience at Whakapapa was in 1967 and skiing became Alan’s passage to enjoyment of the alpine environment, eventually becoming both a Shareholder and Life Pass holder in RAL.
When AHI developed Turoa he gravitated to the wide open slopes and off pisté opportunities on offer. He volunteered for the Mountain Host team at Turoa in its first year of operation in 2004 and gave 14 years to sharing his knowledge and passion for the mountains and along the way completed a L3 NZQA in Alpine Resort Operations.
Alan’s career has been spent as a research scientist, horticulturalist and in business management and he brings a wide set of analytical, business and strategy skills to the table.
Advisory Board
The active contributors receive regular input and support from a wide range of people. We also consult with the leadership of important mountain stakeholders such as Iwi, mountain clubs, RAL staff and local community groups.
You?
We are actively seeking support, volunteers and people who want to contribute to supporting the skifields on Mt Ruapehu for generations to come. Please enter your email below and we'll be making calls to volunteers as the campaign proceeds.