A former teacher with more than 40 years' experience, is Tauranga's recipient of the highest honour bestowed on a Western Bay of Plenty resident in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Te Iria Marama Whiu is made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Maori and education.

Te Iria. Photo: Supplied.

Te Iria has served the Tauranga community with an emphasis on Maori education.

In 1995, Te Iria was elected the first Maori President of the NZ Educational Institute. Following her retirement, she continued to mentor teachers and principals in kura kaupapa Maori, and developed Maori medium educational resources. She then moved into specialist advisory roles in the iwi/tribal education sectors. She was a member of the board of Te Matahauariki o Tauranga Moana Inc from 1999 to 2011, which helped to establish the first Wharekura for Tauranga Moana as Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees.

She was the Deputy Chair of the Runanga nui o Tauranga Moana from 2005 to 2007, which was responsible for the return of Mauao in 2007. She is currently a trustee of the Mauao Trust and Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust, which has a role in the development of literacy and Te Reo Maori resources. Te Iria is currently a member of the Hairini Marae committee and Hairini Marae women's committee chairperson.

Kevin Wearne of Mount Mauganui is the recipient of a Queen's Service Medal for his services to the Tauranga community.

Kevin Wearne usually ensures he works behind the scenes for community groups he's involved with, but today the spotlight is shining firmly on his contributions to Tauranga's voluntary sector.

Kevin Wearne Queen's Service Medal For services in the community

The 71-year-old Mount Maunganui man has been named a recipient of Queen's Service Medal for his services to the community in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Kevin is founding director of Legacy Funerals, ensuring more than $1 million has been distributed via the Legacy Trust to charitable and community organisations in the Tauranga area.

He's also held a number of other voluntary roles, particularly in the Anglican Church, including as chair of Anglican Social Services in the Diocese of Waiapu.

He's a founding trustee of the Compass Community Village, former chair of Victim Support in Tauranga, and past chair of Bethlehem College Foundation.

Currently, Kevin is a trustee of the Saint John's College Trust Board, and the General Church Trust, which are two of the most significant trusts of the Anglican Church.

Kevin told SunLive the honour is bit of a surprise and out of the blue.

'In all honesty I think I've been lucky in working with people like Legacy Trust's Bill Holland and Gregory Brownless, John Nathan and these sorts of people.

'How I feel about the QSM is a bit of dual – I suppose I'm pleased to have been recognised but I also I feel a bit embarrassed because whenever I've been involved in community work I've tried my best to stay behind the scenes,” says Kevin.

'So someone has gone to the trouble of finding out what I was involved in and done.”

Judges say Kevin is noted for his modest and untiring commercial, accounting and business mentoring contributions to community services.

'His drive, professional and personal skills are regarded as having made a significant contribution to the strength and vibrancy of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Tauranga.”

Kevin who is a chartered accountant says: 'I guess you do tend to use your God-given talents and leave others to be successful at the coalface”.

Kevin was prompted to get involved in Tauranga's voluntary community in the early 1990s through his Christian beliefs.

'I'm a Christian and the Gospel call is to reach out from ourselves and be involved and make a change.”

'I was involved in Anglican services for a number of years and we ran rest homes and day-care centres and did some work for the disadvantaged – and being a director of Legacy Trust, that's given about $1.3million to the community now and that's made a difference.”

Kevin is happy the voluntary services he's been involved in have made an impact on people's lives – especially Legacy Trust

'Greg and Bill were involved in the giving away and I'd been involved in trying to make the money.”

Kevin plans to spend Queen's Birthday at home surrounded by family – including wife Lorraine, who he says has been a huge support to him 'and is involved in a number of charitable groups as part of our church as well”.

Te Iria. Photo: supplied.

Michael David Christensen

Queens's service medal

For services to business and community

Tauranga man Michael Christensen has been awarded the Queen's Service Award for services to business and the community.

With a background in dairy farming, kiwifruit and real estate, Michael is director of a number of private companies and an involvement in property development.

Michael has been involved with a number of organisations in the community over the years.

He is a former Lions Club president and served on the Bay of Plenty Legal Services Board. He is a former chief executive of Seeka Corporation and was involved with the company's incorporation, development, substantial growth and employment of a large seasonal workforce.

He is an Associate Member of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, member of the New Zealand Parole Board, Trustee of Baytrust, and a member of the Tauranga Creative Charitable Trust.

He has been a Baytrust trustee since 2012.

Michael is currently actively involved with Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club and serves as a Justice of the Peace.

Rahera Ohia; Queen's Service Medal for services to Maori

Chief Executive of Te Au Maro o Ngati Pukenga, the entity responsible for conducting the Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations for Ngati Pukenga, Rahera is also chairperson of Te Tawharau o Ngati Pukenga, the post-settlement governance entity created to receive Ngati Pukenga's settlement assets. She is a director of Tapiri Atu Limited, a consulting company she and her husband have owned since 2003, and a director of the consultancy company Arapai Limited. She has had a public service career spanning about 17 years.

Rahera is currently serving her second term as a member of the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Council.

Speaking to SunLive, Rahera says the honour feels a 'bit strange” as she believes there is others who are more deserving.

Rahera is following in the footsteps of her late father Wiremu Ohia, who received an honour in 1988.

'He died in 1992, so it's nice for me that I'm kind of doing something similar to him.”

Her father and grandfather are her inspiration for her involvement in Maori education.

'Plus I had a lot of people around me who did things for others rather than thought much about themselves. I really like that approach to things – that really suits me perfectly.”