The Management Team

Norm Wickes
Director
Just a young lad when he started his working career as the office boy at Guthreys Freight in 1948, he worked his way through the ranks during his near 30 years of employment at Guthreys. Norm became second in charge of Guthreys customs department prior to his immediate boss retiring - a move which put Norm in the Managers seat.

Due to conditions unacceptable to Norm, he resigned from Guthreys Freight in 1978, teamed up with his old boss and launched a new company known as Beacon to better offer a more personal customer service.

Janice Wickes
Director
Having previously worked part-time at Beacon, Janice began her full-time customs career in 1985 as Beacon's office junior. Training under the experienced eye of Norm Wickes, her father and co-founder of the business, Janice worked her way through all the different areas of Beacon gaining essential bookkeeping and customs and freight knowledge supported by practical experience.

After spending 5 years as General Manager, Janice has reached the Director's position where her systems building and analytical skills can be put to better use in further progressing the business.

Lance Ward
General Manager
Lance spent 30 years with New Zealand Customs before joining Beacon in 2005. Throughout this time, he worked in many of the different areas in New Zealand Customs including more recently, passenger arrivals at Christchurch Airport which also involved the training of new Customs staff. This background provides Lance with sound knowledge in customs procedures and plenty of practical experience - something that makes him very effective in clearing your goods through Customs.

Like most people, Lance also has another side however, there wouldn't be many that have bred pigs for the market in their spare time - something Lance has done at his lifestyle property.

A very clued-up practical and friendly person, Lance is always ready and willing to do what's needed to get a job done well.

Rod Corbin
Operations Manager & Customs Broker
Beginning his full-time working career as a storeman at a large cosmetics company for 8 years then later as an officer at New Zealand Customs for several years, Rod started with Beacon at its airport office in 1994 in sole-charge of exports before it was moved into the seafreight office. This hands-on, practical background coupled with the fast pace of airfreight rapidly gained Rod invaluable knowledge in exports, basic customs procedures and clearances.

This knowledge was extended further as Rod was moved into import customs clearances and entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the efficient running of Beacon's store and yard facilities. Rod's empathy for co-workers and clients alike coupled with his guardianship of the Beacon brand later made him the obvious choice as Beacon's operations manager, a role Rod treats with the same respect his hard, loyal work has earned him.

Rod's keen sense of fair play and tenacity makes for a strong advocate to have onside for the benefit of Beacon and its clients'.

John Dickson
Freight Forwarding Operations & Sales
John began his freight forwarding career in 1984 working for Banner International. John left in 1994 to help build another Freight Forwarding company before leaving and joining Beacon in 2003.

John has a wealth of knowledge in all areas of international freight forwarding including a unique perspective from that of the customer having earlier worked for an importing company that worked with Freight Forwarders.

Well known to both Norm Wickes and Bob Shine (the founders of Beacon), John was always available to offer his assistance to a fledgling Beacon and his presence working for the company now offers a tremendous wealth of experience.

Juliet McFadden
Import Deliveries
Joining Beacon in 2003; Juliet has a strong horticultural background that ranges from past employment as a MAF Laboratory Technician to jointly running her own vegetable production business.

Enthusiastic and friendly, Juliet is a dedicated, hard-worker who's planning, co-ordination and management skills provide a sound and reliable service consistent with customer requirements.