2010-11 - DG Howard Tong and partner Jenny Flannigan

Jenny and Howard

Howard has been a member of the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson in Wellington, New Zealand since 1989 when it was chartered as the capital city's first breakfast club.  He has held various directorships including International, Youth, Community and Club Services.  Howard was President of his Club in 2005-06 and served as Assistant Governor for a group of 5 Wellington Clubs in 2007-08.  Howard was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 2008 and is a Charter member of the New Zealand Paul Harris Society. Howard was previously in education and when serving as a Primary Teacher (1975-1987) was invited to be a Recruitment Officer, visiting Colleges and community Groups, encouraging the young and the not-so-young to consider teaching as a career.

In 1988 Howard moved into the computer industry holding various roles including Training Consultant, Project Manager in New Zealand Rail and spent 5 years in the Department of Social Welfare as a Systems Manager.  Howard has work as an independent consultant specializing in transition management and in recent years has managed internal support teams for Datacom – a New Zealand-owned outsourcing technology company.

Howard has a theatrical background and has been actively involved in the Wellington theatre scene, performing, as well as being a production manager and musical director.  He is a Trustee of the Capital Theatre Productions Trust, which encourages the development of young talent and provides opportunities to perform on local stages.  He has been fronting variety concerts showcasing local talent at the Garibaldi Club in Wellington since 1992. 

Jenny and Howard live in Wellington where they enjoy inner-city living.  Jenny is a Registered Nurse and has worked in General Practice for 13 years. She has recently changed her career and is now working in the IT industry.  She has two adult sons and Howard has two daughters and a son.  They enjoy walking the numerous tracks around Wellington and recently joined a group to walk some rather challenging tracks in Mount Aspiring and the Humpridge Track.  They love attending local theatre and sporting fixtures in their spare time.