Alan Gilkison
Sir Alan Fleming Gilkison was a New Zealand company director. He was chair of the New Zealand [National Airways Corporation|National Airways Corporation] from 1967 to 1974.
Early life and family
Born in Invercargill on 4 November 1909, Gilkison was the son of John and Maggie Gilkison. He was educated at Southland Boys' High School from 1923 to 1924, and completed his secondary education at Timaru Boys' High School.During the 1930s, Gilkison was active in the Invercargill Repertory Society, as an actor and producer, and served as the society's secretary. He was also a member of the Invercargill Debating Society.
War service
Before World War II, Gilkison worked for the Southland stock and station firm, J. E. Watson and Company, and as a shipping agent for the Blue Star and Port Lines. In 1941, he enlisted as a corporal in the New Zealand Medical Corps, rising to the rank of warrant officer. He served in HS Maunganui, a hospital ship, and was mentioned in despatches. He also received the War Medal 1939–1945 and the New Zealand War Service Medal.Post-war life and career
Marriage and family
On 11 March 1950, Gilkison married Noeline Cramond, the daughter of Albert Cramond, and the couple had two children.Activities in Southland
Gilkison became a leading business figure in Southland. He was the general manager and board chair of J. E. Watson and Company, succeeded his father as chair of SFM's board of directors in February 1961, and was also chair of New Zealand's principal meat marketing firm, Towers and Company. He stood down as chair of Towers in 1980 and SFM in 1982.Gilkison was a member of the Southland Harbour Board from 1949 to 1968, and served as the inaugural president of the Southland Medical Foundation.
Airline director and chair
In July 1961, when the New Zealand government acquired the Australian government's shares in Tasman Empire Airways Limited and the airline become wholly New Zealand owned, Gilkison was appointed to the TEAL's board of directors. In October the same year, he also joined the board of the National Airways Corporation. His appointment to the board of TEAL, alongside that of Ron Guthrey from Christchurch, was the first time that TEAL's board included members from the South Island. When TEAL was renamed Air New Zealand in 1965, Gilkison became deputy chair of the new airline's board.Gilkison became chair of the NAC board in 1967, at which time he relinquished the deputy chairmanship of Air New Zealand while continuing to serve as a director of the latter airline. He remained as chair of NAC until resigning in October 1974. During Gilkison's tenure as chair, NAC took delivery of its first Boeing 737 in September 1968, and by September 1974 its fleet of that aircraft had increased to seven, replacing the airline's ageing Vickers Viscount turboprops on the main-trunk routes.