Some would say you can’t improve on paradise, but Chris Dever is going to try.

Chris has been officially sworn in as an Ōmokoroa Community Board Member at Western Bay of Plenty District Council chambers, after being elected to the role last month.

“I’m a very lucky person, I live in paradise and I’m passionate about how the developments in Ōmokoroa are aligned with what the people really need to make sure that we’re a town of the future, not just a sleepy little beach village,” says Chris.

“I’ve been attending community board meetings for the last two years and I really look forward to working through the community board with the Council to improve the paradise we live in.”

Chris has lived in Ōmokoroa for the past five years, having moved from Christchurch where he was the Chief Information Officer for the Canterbury District Health Board.

Married to Nancy, they moved to the Western Bay with their son Andrew, to be closer to their other son, Edward, who lives in Auckland.

More recently, Chris has worked for Western Bay Primary Health Organisation, where he says he is proud to have learnt more about Te Ao Māori and māoritanga.

A member of the Rotary Tauranga Sunrise Club, Chris is also a Justice of the Peace and a marriage celebrant.

The Ōmokoroa Community Board seat became vacant following the resignation of Greig Neilson in April. Chris was elected to fill the seat after receiving 634 votes, ahead of Murray Marshall (539) and Steve Ling (383).