“It came as a big surprise.”

That was the reaction of former Tauranga mayor and humanitarian aid leader Tenby Powell on learning he would be appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year 2026 Honours List for services to business, governance, and humanitarian aid.

Powell, who has spent more than two decades in business leadership and public service, said the honour reflected the collective work of the many people he had served alongside.

“To me, it’s recognition of so many wonderful people that I’ve served with over the years,” he said. “Things like this are pretty overwhelming because so many people from various walks of life have been part of this.”

Kiwi K.A.R.E founder Tenby Powell with team member Marina Kytina before going to a Ukraine frontline surgical stabilisation area in 2023. Photo / Supplied

Powell’s contribution to New Zealand’s commercial, government, and not‑for‑profit sectors dates back to the late 1990s.

Over the years, he has held a wide range of national and international board roles, including positions with Waikato Link, Antarctica New Zealand, Hirepool Equipment Rental Group, The Icehouse, Aldera, and the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

He was heavily involved in small business advocacy, founding the New Zealand SME Business Network in 2011 to give small business owners a stronger collective voice.

From 2012 to 2017, he convened the Government’s Small Business Development Group, later chairing the Small Business Council until 2019.

Internationally, he represented New Zealand on the Apec Business Advisory Council (ABAC) from 2016 to 2019, co‑chairing both the Digital and Innovation Working Group and the Small and Medium Enterprise Working Group.

But it is his humanitarian work in Ukraine that has become the most defining chapter of his career.

In 2022, as Russia’s full‑scale invasion created one of Europe’s largest refugee crises since World War II, Powell travelled to the region and founded Kiwi K.A.R.E. — Kiwi Aid and Refugee Evacuation.

The organisation operates exclusively in Ukraine’s red zones, regions near active frontline combat.

“When the war broke out, I was aghast at the hundreds of thousands — quite possibly millions — of people walking across the Polish border in that dreadful winter of 2022,” Powell said.

“My feeling then was that this is a war which is going to change world order… and rolling forward to 2025, that’s exactly what’s happened.”

Tenby Powell donated 16 ambulances to Ukrainian medical services during a ceremony in the capital Kyiv. Photo / supplied

Kiwi K.A.R.E. has since raised around $7 million and, according to Powell, delivered a humanitarian impact valued at $60.1 million.

The organisation has carried out more than 600 aid missions and 4500 evacuations, often working in extreme danger.

Its team includes partners from four Ukrainian NGOs, as well as volunteers and supporters across Europe, Australia, the United States and New Zealand.

Powell said the charity’s effectiveness comes from its size, mobility and the calibre of its people.

“We’ve proved to be extremely effective under very difficult circumstances,” he said.

Looking ahead, he hopes the model can expand beyond Ukraine.

“I’d like to think we could take it to other places… particularly those where larger organisations can’t operate effectively.”

Powell also reflected briefly on his time as mayor of Tauranga from 2019 to 2020, characterising it as a turbulent but necessary period of change for the city.

“I ran for mayor to break a stranglehold on a city which was 25 years behind,” he said.

Despite his varied leadership roles — from military service to commercial governance and global humanitarian work — Powell said one principle had driven his career: service.

“It’s meaningful to me, and I wanted to make sure it was meaningful for other people as well,” he said.

He dedicated the honour to his family, who have supported nearly every part of his humanitarian work.

“Honours like this don’t come without a lot of family support,” Powell said.

“I’m very blessed to have a great family and incredible friends.”

Ayla Yeoman is a journalist based in Tauranga. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Communications and Politics & International Relations from the University of Auckland, and has been a journalist since 2022.