Sonya Elmiger
Role: Owner/Partner
Responsibilities at BGLP: Owner/Partner
What do you enjoy most about your role?: Working alongside clients to provide support that then lets them get on with what they like doing and are good at.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I was born and bred in Taupo, so this is where my heart is. I love the lake and the walkways around it, as well as Mount Tauhara and the walk up it - it is a great way to blow off some steam.
Life outside BGLP: I value time catching up with family and friends. I also enjoy walks and getting out amongst it, trying to fit in a run several mornings a week. I have spent many a session at the local skate park and at Spa Park bike track with my young son (mostly with my hands over my eyes and heart in my stomach as he tries out his jumps and tricks).
Phone ext: 835
Mark Blackburne
Role: Owner/Partner
Responsibilities at BGLP: Owner/Partner
What do you enjoy most about your role?: Having the opportunity to help my clients progress in their business lives, which then crosses over to their personal lives too.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: It truly is such a great environment to live in and there are many fantastic people here as well.
Life outside BGLP: Outside of work I spend time with my family, exercise (I like Karate) and taste testing new wines.
Phone Ext: 821
Joanne Dunn
Role: Practice Manager
Responsibilities at BGLP: Keeping the team and two partners in line.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I love working with such a great bunch of people.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: The lake, the mountains and the central location – it’s close to everywhere!
Life outside BGLP: My family/dog and travelling in my campervan. Travelling is my passion and I love to discover new places whether in New Zealand or overseas. Whenever I come back from a trip, I start planning the next one right away!
Phone ext: 822
Tania Harris
Role: Accountant
Responsibilities at BGLP: Processing Annual Financial Statements and GST Returns. Preparing management reports and assisting our managers with anything else as required.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I enjoy working with numbers, and the people I have the privilege to work with are amazing.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: Taupo is a beautiful town and everything you need is just down the road. The people here are all so friendly and welcoming.
Life outside BGLP: In my free time I enjoy relaxing with a nice glass of red, walking, swimming, and catching up with my family and friends.
Phone ext: 819
Paula Amrein
Role: Client Manager
Responsibilities at BGLP: GST preparation and reporting, along with Annual Accounts and Tax returns with tax planning
What do you enjoy most about your role?: Assisting and interacting with my awesome clients.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I love its central location with its beautiful lake and mountains.
Life outside BGLP: I have a busy life assisting my husband with our exterior plastering business which includes payroll, invoicing, quoting, managing staff - all the day-to-day duties in running a business. For life outside of work, I get to rest and relax at our small bach in Atiamuri Village, where I get to water ski and enjoy the outdoors with our two now grown up sons and friends.
Phone ext: 830
Sarah Barnett
Role: Receptionist / Administration
Responsibilities at BGLP: Fees, general admin, greeting clients and company office administrator.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I enjoy working with such a great team and clients.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: Getting to see such a beautiful view everyday.
Life outside BGLP: I enjoy travel, good wine and coffee, and spending time with my lovely family, daughter and dog!
Phone ext: 800
Natalie Alexander
Role: Client Manager / Business Development
Responsibilities at BGLP: I am responsible for a portfolio of clients, overseeing their financial reporting requirements, including preparing and reviewing financial statements, and ensuring compliance with tax regulations/obligations. I attend to the preparation of budgets and forecasts for financial analysis and to support decision-making.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: The people I work with, the clients and the staff. I really enjoy connecting with clients and helping them transform their businesses and lives. My role is never static and continues to evolve.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: The lake is bliss in summer and in winter the mountains are majestic - can't beat a view like that! It is easy to get outdoors with everything in our backyard and it's not far to travel to a beach or main city if you do want to get away for the weekend.
Life outside BGLP: You'll either find me lakeside with a book, taking the dog for a bush walk, pottering in the garden or spending time with friends and family.
Phone ext: 820
Paul Thomas
Role: Client Manager / Business Development
Responsibilities at BGLP: I have a group of clients for whom I am responsible for regarding all their accounting and taxation needs. I make sure that we are on track, meeting targets and always looking for ways to help our clients grow and improve their businesses.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: The people I work with, the clients and the firm. This is a great firm to work for – they look after us well and there is always something happening, plenty of laughs and good times. My role has many challenges, so it is never boring.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: Taupo is such a beautiful place to live and work in and has a real buzz about it – there is always something going on, plenty to do, and a great variety of good restaurants. It’s close to Hawkes Bay, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. And it’s only five minutes to work with no traffic lights!
Life outside BGLP: A keen traveller, I have many destinations on my bucket list. I enjoy reading a good book, cooking in my spare time, wining and dining and the finer things in life. I like pottering around in the garden and going for bush walks.
Phone ext: 807
Mark Jenkins
Role: IT Support
Responsibilities at BGLP: Preventing surges from frying circuits in Hardware and people, and reducing damage.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: No two days are ever the same, and the staff are alright too!
What do you love about living in Taupo?: The rush hour traffic. Being centrally located it takes ages to get anywhere and the view is not so good. (I.e. don’t move here).
Life outside BGLP: Taken up with friends, family and far too many hobbies.
Phone ext: 801
Emma Elmiger
Role: Accountant
Responsibilities at BGLP: Coding transactions ready for GST filing and preparing accounts! Xero’s ability to provide real-time financial data makes this process all the more efficient, which allows me time to dabble in the odd bit of graphic design with Blackburne Group’s promotional material and social media. I am also responsible for organising the all-important after work drinks.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I enjoy being greeted by the coffee machine each morning which enables me to fire on all cylinders and kick start the day.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I'm a local girl so Taupo is me! I make the most of the lake and the walking tracks, usually getting towed around by my French Bulldog who has great big ears but never listens.
Life outside BGLP: Most of my free time is spent with my daughter who teaches me how to live my best life. I enjoy running to keep fit and the odd vino with a view, but there’s nothing quite like kicking back surrounded by good friends or heading to Newmarket for a day at the mall.
Phone ext: 813
Logan Hammersley
Role: Client Manager
Responsibilities at BGLP: I look after anything and everything.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: The varied nature of the work and the good people we deal with - both clients and colleagues
What do you love about living in Taupo?: The water, right from the river to the lake and the frozen stuff too (snow).
Life outside BGLP: I’m married with two daughters, but you’ll mostly find me on the water kayaking, sailing or in the forest running and mountain-biking.
Phone ext: 833
Katya Glover
Role: Payroll / Administration
Responsibilities at BGLP: I run payroll for clients and also assist the admin team with a variety of tasks.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I like that I am always learning, including keeping up with required legislation.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I enjoy morning swims in the lake.
Life outside BGLP: I do lots of camping trips with the rooftop tent, catch-ups with family and friends over a good wine and annoying my 2 cats.
Phone ext: 816
Dru Yerex
Role: Client Services Administrator
Responsibilities at BGLP: I maintain our database, take care of the administration for AML, collect source documentation and on-board our new clients, all in the manner of support work.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I like being able to support the team to get great results, as simply as possible.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: It is a beautiful place to call home.
Life outside BGLP: A lot of time is spent in my garden!
Phone ext: 809
Diana Waldrom
Role: Client Services Administrator
Responsibilities at BGLP: I am responsible for tax and trust administration, as well as payroll processing.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I really like the supportive nature that is supplied to our client base.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: The beautiful environment with the lake and mountains.
Life outside BGLP: Gardening, reading, sewing and time spent with my granddaughters.
Phone ext: 811
Anita Bron
Role: Client Manager
Responsibilities at BGLP: Annual accounts and GST work.
What do you enjoy most about your role?: I like the variety of work tasked to me and also helping people in their businesses.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I love the lake and scenery I get to enjoy every day. After living in cities all of my life, I love how relaxed it is here. I have been here for nearly 16 years, and I could not live in a city again! It’s a great place to bring up our two girls.
Life outside BGLP: I have a busy life outside of BGLP running around after two young girls and assisting with our diesel mechanic business. In our free time we enjoy spending time on the boat out on the lake, catching up with friends over a glass of wine and going for walks.
Phone ext: 817
Lola
Role: Security
Responsibilities at BGLP: I enjoy arriving in the morning and doing a crumb sniff of the entire office, sometimes I fall asleep on the job and snore.
What do you love about living in Taupo?: I was born in Taupo so I love zoomies and pupachinos by the lake.
Life outside BGLP: Because I'm short I spend a lot of time in the boss's office on the chair so I can keep an eye on what’s happening out the window. I sleep inside and have three beds and mum says I would never survive in the wild.
