Introducing John Woods

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 228, 26 January 1988, Page 10

Introducing John Woods

The Bulletin's nevv publisher is no stranger to the Waimairino district. Former Tauranga and Auckland publisher Mr John Woods, 35, was born and bred in the region and is shifting back after 20 years away.

Mr Woods, his wife Annette and their four children aged 10, eight, five and four will live permanently in Ohakune. The takeover on January 1 followed friendly negotiations just before Christmas between M r Woods and Mr John Sandford, who established the Bulletin four and a half years ago. The men have known each other for several years as they both have had publishing companies for some time and both are keen skiers. Like John Sandford, who was raised in Raetihi and will maintain his strong local ties through friends, family and skiing, John Woods knows the local area well. He was born in Taihape and then lived with his parents at Waiouru for 15 years. In recent years since the Turoa Skifield opened he has returned to Ohakune for

winter skiing. Two years ago he was a partner in the Breckenridge Alpine Lodge development at Miro Park. He and his family are keen skiers. They have been members of TASCI, the Turoa Alpine and Ski Club, for several years and their oldest child has been a member of the local ski racing academy for two seasons. "It's not just the skiing that has attractcd us to Ohakune," Mr Woods says, "but the business opportunitics hcre and the way of life that we can enjoy as a family." "Certainly the Turoa skifield has provided a boost to the local economy and it will continue to dominate the lives of many people here, but the national parks and natural resources of the Waimarino district and the central region at large have untold potential yet."

New magazine One of the changes Mr Woods will be making to the local publishing company is the addition of anothcr publication, Advcnture magazine. This will provide some growth and a ncw income basc for the, company. In due course extra permanent employment will be creatcd. Mr Woods feels the magazine's style and objectives as an outdoor sports adventure publication are quitc harmonious with the lifcstylc of this area. From a national marketing viewpoint the relocation of Adventurc's publishing hcadquarters to Ohakune has been sccn by some as an amusing but not a silly move. The publication draws its advcrtising and rcadcrship from all parts of the country. Mr Woods took ovcr Adventure on January 1 from an Auckland-based publishing house that produces New Zcaland Skier and several other magazines. Adventure was launched about seven years ago and at its peak two years ago was a monthly glossy of 100 pages. In the last 12 months it has becomc run down and there have been only four cditions. "We intend to build the magazine up to its formcr glory and hope that by the middle of the ycar it is again monthly of at least 64 pages with a circulation of more than 10,000," Mr Woods says.

Mr Woods will function as managing cditor of the publication and will also handlc marketing and promotion. Production will be done locally by existing Bulletin staff. Nevv premises The addition of the magazine means that the local newspaper will also be shifting into larger premises in Ohakune within the next few weeks. At this stage the exact location has not been decided. Plans are also on the drawing board to boost the Bulletin , but these will not be introduced until the newspaper is relocated. Mr Woods believes there is scope for upgrading of the newspaper's content and design together with advertising opportunities that will enable the paper to increase its weekly page count. There will also be a number of special editions timed to coincide with major events such as amalgamation of the county and boroughs, the annual Desert Fair, electrification of the railway and summer and winter sports and attractions. "But first we want to get settled into new premises

and then to hear from the community what local people want from the Bulletin before we make major changes," Mr Woods says. "After all, this is the community's newspaper and it should serve its advcrtisers and readers before its owners." Next month Mr Woods and Mr Sandford will be holding a social function for community leaders and business people throughout the Waimarino district so that the change of ownership can be discussed along with plans for the future. Meanwhile Mr Woods invites readers to contact him with feedback and comment on the role and style of the Bulletin. He will be doing his best to get out and about to introduce himself to as many people as possible. Background His publishing background includes 12 years as a working joumalist on newspapers such as the Waikato Times, Bay of Plenty Times and New Zealand Herald. He also served as editor of the daily Thames Star for a few years before launching his

own newspaper, the Hauraki Herald, in 1979. That led to a merger with the Thames Star in 1980. In 1981 he published New Zealand's first millioncopy newspaper, 'C'mon Kiwi', a national pride publication that won him the Enterprise New Zealand Award for entrepreneurship in 1982 from the NZ Chambers of Commerce. In the next two years he took over three run-down community newspapers, the Huntly Press, The Bay Sun in Tauranga and the Te Puke Times. He built them into strong newspapers over the next few years, added a stable of magazines including two skiing and five farming publications, and then sold his entire operation to New Zealand News Ltd in 1985. Since then he has had a variety of business interests in Auckland and Tauranga including advertising agencies, a personnel and training company and a public relations consultancy. Mr Woods has the rare distinction of being a member of four professional bodies — the Institute of Marketing, of Advertising, of Public Relations and of Printing. His previous publications have won numerous awards for excellence including two International Newspaper Promotion Association first places for innovative projects — using newspapers for education in schools and for voluntary subscriptions to free newspapers. Over five years until 1985 he attended several overseas conventions and forums on various aspects of publishing and has Cont'dfacing page

Bulletin publisher

Cont'dfromp. 10 served as an executive committee member and vice-president of the NZ Community Newspapers Association. First loves His purchase of the Bulletin and Adventure is an opportunity, he says, to return to his "first loves" - - the business of publishing and profession of journalism — after a break of almost four years. "The added bonus is being able to leave the rat race of the main cities and combine business with pleasure in a rural town with an idyllic lifestyle where my wife and I can bring up our children according to the values that are important to us." His wife Annette is a former school dental nurse who was born and raised in Thames. They have four children - Reuben aged 10, Coby aged eight, Israel aged five and Sama aged

four. The two youngest are adopted, Israel being part Chinese born in New Zealand and Sama full Chinese born in Hong Kong and from an orphanage there. Apart from skiing the family enjoy fishing, tramping and surfing. Mr Woods is also a lceen jogger and squash player and says one of his goals is to complete the Mountain Man race this year. Mrs Woods and her daughters list ballet and dance as their main interests. Mr Woods has many relatives in the Taihape and Turangi districts. His father, Gordon Woods, who died last year, was in the Navy at Irirangi before and after the Second World War and for about 10 years was the wood and coal merchant at Waiouru. His mother, Lena Woods (nee Horton) ran the TAB at Waiouru for many years and now lives in Tauranga.