Don Turner
Owner
Specialty:
Don is our owner and boss. He has had a lifetime in the agricultural sector, as well as time running Tennis NZ. He’s continuing the process of learning about native trees, after founding Takana in 2008.
Robbie Blair
Marketing
Specialty:
Robbie has joined Takana in 2022 as a marketing executive to assist Don in a number of areas as the Takana business grows.
A much respected figure in Warkworth and nearby regions, he has previously managed tennis clubs and the Warkworth RSA.
He is a former NZ Table Tennis titleholder, and these days maintains a high standard of tennis at Masters level.
Renate Miller
Nurseryman
Specialty:
Renate joined Takana in 2022 and immediately excelled in key roles such as bagging and pruning.
A phenomenal work output keeps us all on our toes as she sets the pace! A lifelong skilled gardener, Renate was the Warkworth District Nurse.
Linda Newson
Specialty:
Linda works on contract assisting with weeding and bagging. Her love of gardening brings us great experience and a cheerful personality.
Hans Kuo
Special Projects Manager
Specialty:
Hans has been Takana Native Trees manager since July 2014, and has recently taken charge of the move from Omaha Flats Rd to the bigger Takatu Rd Site, which he has designed and continues to project manage. Hans has a Master’s degree in Botany (National Chung Hsing University – Taiwan), and his previous experience includes work as a Farm Manager, as well as a CIBA-GEIGY Agriculture Technician.
In his spare time he likes gardening, & keeping up to date with new scientific developments.
Morgan Holmes
Site Manager
Specialty:
Morgan is Site Manager at our Omaha Flats Rd site, with responsibilities over our seedling production which include propagation from seed and cuttings.
She has been with takana native trees since 2016. She loves her work because, as she says, “I’m helping the environment by planting native trees.”
Spare time finds her outdoors indulging in her favourite activity – gardening.
Jack Moyle
Senior Driver
Specialty:
Jack is our best known Driver, seen every week on roads all around Auckland and the north.
He has also developed considerable nurseryman skills.
Jack has a wide range of interests including an acting career which has involved smaller parts in a range of movies.
Matt Newrick
Senior Nurseryman
Specialty:
A very experienced and competent nurseryman, Mat has been with Takana since 2015. In his previous life he had experience as a Builder, cabinetmaker, joiner, and formica fabricator. He also ran a Mitre 10 Garden Centre.
Mat makes a point of enjoying everything he does, and we enjoy his nursery work.
Leisure time for him involves gardening, walking, and visiting native bush walks.
Joseph Chapman
Site Manager
Specialty:
Joseph (Ngati Manuhiri) manages our new Takatu Rd site. He is an excellent nurseryman, and brings other skills with machinery and equipment to our team.
He loves to maintain his fitness, especially in his passion of surfing.
