Introducing board member Lauren Jones

Board member Lauren Jones is helping Quality Roading and Services build Wairoa back better and faster.

The Wairoa roading company’s newest director has been on the board for four months and brings a wealth of experience in business risk identification and management at a time of company expansion.

“It’s a company for Wairoa and I have been impressed as it has gone from just ticking along, to having really clear long-term strategic goals.”

Before moving to Wairoa, Lauren and her husband Josh felt like they were on an urban treadmill. They suffered through long work commutes and were missing out on precious family time with their two children.

The couple wanted to slow down and raise their children in provincial New Zealand where there was room to run and they would have the time to appreciate the magic of a summer’s day together. 

“I lost so much of my life sitting in traffic and we all feel we have more time now.”

Lauren and her family moved to Wairoa from Auckland in 2017. She’d never set foot in the town beforehand and thought she might be here for two years. Lauren has a background in audit and tax and joined the Wairoa District Council (WDC) finance team. Before long Wairoa had woven its spell on the family. “The weather was great and the people were friendly. We just fell in love with the place and have now made it our home.”

While at WDC Lauren learned more about QRS which is a Council Controlled Trading Organisation wholly owned by Council earning revenue on behalf of the people of Wairoa. She now works for the Ministry for the Environment.

Lauren has two master’s degrees: biological and environmental Science, and professional accounting. She’s also a chartered accountant.

When she saw the QRS director’s role advertised by WDC this year she was keen to keep building ties with Wairoa and so she threw her hat in the ring.

“It’s a company supporting locals and I love that. The benefit of that commercial success flows back to the ratepayers.”

Lauren is impressed with her fellow directors. “They have a clear sense of the strategic purpose of QRS”. She’s also impressed with the senior leadership team. “I’m looking forward to working with them and learning from them.”

Outside of work Lauren and her family love fishing, swimming, motorbikes, and learning to surf.  “My two boys love anything to do with mud!”

“We’re living our best life here. It’s so good. The only regret I have about moving here is that I didn’t do it earlier.”

25 September 2023

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