Preceded by Bruce Beetham Name Ross Jansen Succeeded by Margaret Evans | Nationality New Zealand Died December 15, 2010 | |
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Education Victoria University of Wellington | ||
Sir Ross Malcolm Jansen KBE (6 September 1932 – 15 December 2010) was mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand, from 1977 to 1989. He was an expert in local government, held a variety of positions, was academically acknowledged, and received a number of honours.
Biography
Jansen was born on 6 September 1932 in Carterton, and was educated in the Wairarapa and at Victoria University College, from where he graduated with a LLB in 1957. He became a barrister and solicitor.
Jansen served as deputy chairman of the Waikato United Council from 1980 to 1986 and chairman from 1986 to 1989. He was a member of Hamilton City Council, and was elected mayor of Hamilton in 1977, holding office until 1989. In 1984 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato. He subsequently completed a DPhil in 1993 at the same institution about New Zealand local government reform in the 1980s.
Jansen was president of the Municipal Association of New Zealand from 1984 to 1987, and was the first President of the New Zealand Local Government Association. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1986 New Year Honours, and Knight Commander of the same order in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours. In 1990 he was awarded Life Membership of the New Zealand Local Government Association. From 1990 to 1993 he was Chairperson of the Waikato Regional Council. He was appointed chairman of the Local Government Commission from 1998 to 2001.
Jansen died at his home in Orewa, north of Auckland, on 15 December 2010.