‘Chum’ Chapman retires from Newmans

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 31

‘Chum’ Chapman retires from Newmans

The name Gerald Keith Chapman probably doesn’t mean much to those engaged in the road transport business up and down New Zealand. Get rid of the Gerald Keith bit, however, and substitute “Chum” and there is instant recognition. “Chum” (“a name inflicted on me by my father”) Chapman has been for the last nine years managing director of New Zealand’s largest private passenger vehicle service operation, Newmans. On Thursday, at the age of 62, he will retire from this post. Many managing directors come and go without too much weeping and wailing. “Chum” Chapman’s departure from the Newmans top spot, will be keenly felt by the staff throughout the nation. Under its founder, Tom Newman, and later, Sir Jack Newman, Newmans have always emphasised traditions and the “familytype operation” of the company. When he attended his last board meeting as a director of the larger group, Transport Nelson Holdings, last Thursday, Mr Chapman emphasised that the board should never lose sight of

By Barry Simpson, in Nelson

these “traditions," engendered over 105 years by management and staff of Newmans. Speaking later to me, he said that Newmans was a wonderful organisation, and so were the people in it. “Our pay load is the most important — lives. Our payload is articulate — it can complain, make suggestions. I am confident that as the company commences its 105th year of operations on July 1, it will continue in the traditional way,” he said. “Sir Jack often quotes his father’s philosophy ‘that nothing but the best will do.’ That’s the tradition that must be carried on, plus the other, that people are just not numbers,” he said. It appears that few grey areas exist in the deliberations and decisions of “Chum” Chapman over the years. He is known to be strictly a “black and white” man, a “yes or no” man rather than a “maybe.” Although this rather uncompromising attitude may not always have endeared him to opposition voices, it has certainly paid dividends for Newmans and its staff. Mr Chapman came to Newmans in 1974 when the company’s nation-wide

operations were carried on by 75 vehicles and a staff of 175. He leaves it with a staff of 450 operating 220 vehicles. “No” was the answer given to the question of whether there was anything left undone that he wanted to do. “The place is computerised, we have the best coach chassis in New Zealand, the best engineer (Mr Ken Richardson) and the best body design,” he said. “We pioneered seat belts for front seat passengers, air conditioning and sheep-skin-covered seats. We have expanded our operations into the two big growth areas, Taranaki and Northland. It’s been exciting and enjoyable, and I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said. The bare statistics show that “Chum” Chapman was born in Nelson in 1921, was educated at Nelson College and held a commission in the territorial unit, Nelson-

Marlborough-West Coast Regiment before going overseas during the Second World War. He served in the Middle East and Italy, and left the army with the rank of captain in 1946 wondering what on earth he was going to do without specialist skills or earning ability. He trained as an accountant at the Nelson Technical School, but only completed nine-tenths of the course while working for Central Motors (later to become Wrightcars) and was, for a time, the firm's managing director. He went to Rotorua in 1964 and managed Direct Transport, Ltd, and in 1974 returned to Nelson to consider taking the top post in Newmans. He is a Justice of the Peace, and has been associated with a number of community organisations. His retirement, he says, means a little more time to

reduce his golf handicap, and some leisurely holidays with his wife Diana. These will include visits to his two married daughters and a son in other parts of the country. With Mr Chapman's departure there has been a restructuring of Newmans’ top management within the group. Mr Mike Wadsworth, aged 37, present operations manager, has been appointed general manager. The present general manager of the freighting division, Mr Peter Ammundsen, aged 32, has been appointed general manager, transportation, and as such has responsibility for all TNL freight and Newmans operations. Mr Wadsworth had a distinguished army career before joining Newmans. He saw active service in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam where he was acclaimed as a transport specialist. He has been with Newmans since 1977.