Three People Admitted to the Nature Coast Business Hall of Fame

Three key business people have been admitted to the Nature Coast Business Hall of Fame for Kapiti and Horowhenua.

They are Selwyn Hyde, Jacob Slykhuis and John Turk.

This brings the total of inductees to the hall to seven.

> Selly Hyde has had an impact on Kapiti and Horowhenua and the citation for his induction describes him as one of Kapiti’s founding fathers. While business success is frequently measured in terms of return to shareholders, he is also recognised for his contribution in shaping the Kapiti Community.

He was one of five people who built the Levin motor circuit at the Levin racecourse; he developed the first major motor camp in Kapiti, set up one of the first specialised tourism outlets on the Coast at Hyde Park in Te Horo and took an entrepreneurial approach to tourism in Kapiti.

He was tireless in developing community assets and held many positions of leadership and influence. He led the development of the Kapiti Miniature Railway and the Paekakariki Hill Lookout.

> Jake Slykhuis also had an influence in the two districts of Horowhenua and Kapiti, although his main focus has been in the town of  Foxton.

His business activities on the Nature Coast have been varied, starting with a broiler chicken farm and then pig farming. He set up Foxton Builders employing 14 staff expanding to encompass Foxton Hardware. Ceasing the building business he began trading as True Value, later purchasing Levin and Otaki Mitre 10 stores.

Jake is a past director and chairman for True Value Group NZ (now Hammer hardware). He has been involved in many community activities including the Foxton Chamber of Commerce and the Foxton Windmill.

> John Turk, principal of Turk’s Poultry Farm Limited, is also based in Foxton having moved there in 1966 and purchased a chicken farm.

Today the business employs 155 staff at five locations from Auckland to Foxton processing 18,000 birds a day five days a week. It is a family owned and operated poultry producer and processor unit that is vertically integrated from rearing to sales and despatch.

John has been and is still active in a variety of community roles. He is a former President of Rotary and currently supports Probus, the Foxton Windmill Trust and Meals on Wheels.

Turks Poultry Farm was the 2009 Electra Business of the Year for Horowhenua and Kapiti.