Ann is a chartered accountant, founder and director of StreetSMART Group.  She is a creative thinker, avid reader, with an entrepreneurial business approach.

Brought up on a farm in South Otago, Ann graduated from Otago University in 1979 and moved to Auckland in 1980 to work for an international chartered accounting firm.  Ann was profoundly deaf but in 1987 she started her own chartered accounting business.  Although starting from scratch in a back room behind the garage at home, with no clients and no hearing (she had a successful cochlear implant operation in 1996), against the odds the business grew and thrived. 

Various awards that Ann has won include Ralph Bell Prize for Excellence of Performance in a group of subjects (NZ award, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (NZ) Division 1982); Institute Prize in Management of Human Resources (NZ award, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (NZ) Division 1982); Quota (NZ) Deaf Woman of the Year 1985;  Most Inspirational Role Model (Highly Commended, Her Business “Businesswoman of the Year 2004”) 

Ann is also a co-founder and director of the franchise business Office Champions (www.officechampions.co.nz) which launched in April 2008.

Ann was a regular “Strategic Investing” columnist for NZ Property Investor Magazine from 2005 until 2008.  She is also a regular speaker at various expos, seminars and conferences on topics ranging from business, property investment, being successful and overcoming obstacles.  Her passion is business improvement and helping people become financially independent. 

Ann is currently a board member and honorary treasurer of the Auckland Property Investors Association, and is also a board member of Northern Cochlear Implant Trust. 

Through personal experience Ann can empathise with clients determined to overcome obstacles and barriers to their own success… Ann built her business while also coping with her deafness, raising her two sons (who are now studying at University), starting a nation wide franchise business and generally dealing with the curve balls that life throws from time to time.

In her spare time Ann enjoys jogging, mountain biking, snow skiing, reading, movies and spending time in the South Island.