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We are very lucky to have Ron Mark supporting Caring Families Aotearoa. As our Master of Ceremonies for our conferences over the years, he ensures everything runs smoothly from start to finish with his charismatic and personable style.
Ron has worn many hats. He was a former soldier, a commercial consultant, a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party between 1996 – 2008 and 2014 - 2020, and notably during this time, Deputy Leader, Minister of Defence and Minister for Veterans Affairs. He served as Mayor of Carterton from 2010 to 2014 and was re-elected to Mayor in 2022.
He was born in Masterton and was fostered with six Pākehā foster families in Pahiatua, saying; "I wouldn't have survived without them." He was educated at Tararua College from 1968 to 1970.
Ron is a lover of country music. In between his time in politics and Mayor of Carterton, and thanks to the encouragement and persistent prodding of friends and family, Ron produced an album dedicated to his grandchildren, the thousands of foster children in Aotearoa and their wonderful foster parents – Never Give Up.
Ron is a strong believer that it is your attitude that determines your altitude; Be bold, Stand tall, Set your goals high, Work hard and Never, Give Up. This is a message that he has been sharing with care experienced rangatahi at L’Oreal New Zealand's annual Face Your Future event for 14 years.
His personal story of overcoming trauma, accepting the things that happened and not allowing them to define his future; to owning his mistakes, accepting total responsibility for them, and above all “Never Give Up”, is truly inspiring. It has taken him from being a young man on the brink of prison time to Minister of Defence and Minister for Veterans.