Frank Dickson (11 May 1931 – 2 March 2023) was a New Zealand banker. He was the first chief executive of the Canterbury Savings Bank (later Trust Bank Canterbury), from 1963 to 1988.

Biography

Dickson was born in the

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

suburb of

Birkenhead Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...

on 11 May 1931, the son of Mavis Ellen Dickson (née Smith) and James Dickson. In 1958, he married Alison Rae Patterson, and the couple went on to have three children. Dickson joined the

Auckland Savings Bank Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about It ...

in 1950, and rose to become the new business manager for the bank by 1962. In 1963, he was appointed manager (chief executive) of the newly established Canterbury Savings Bank, based in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

, and remained in that role until 1988. In the

1989 Queen's Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supple ...

, Dickson was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to banking and the community. In March 2009, he was commemorated as one of Christchurch's

Twelve Local Heroes The ''Twelve Local Heroes'' is a series of bronze busts located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand on Worcester Boulevard outside the Arts Centre An art centre or arts center is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An ...

, and a bust of Dickson, sculpted by Mark Whyte, was unveiled at the Christchurch Arts Centre. Dickson's wife, Rae, died in 2021. Dickson died in Christchurch on 2 March 2023, at the age of 91.

References

1931 births 2023 deaths New Zealand bankers New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Auckland {{NewZealand-business-bio-stub