Elder statesman Sir Brian Elwood has been awarded the kiwifruit industry's highest accolade – the 2015 Fresh Carriers Hayward Medal in recognition of 10 years of leadership as chairman of industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand.

The award was presented last night at an industry dinner in Mount Maunganui which followed Zespri's inaugural Kiwifruit Innovation Symposium.

Sir Brian Elwood with the 2015 Fresh Carriers Hayward Medal he was awarded in Mount Maunganui last night. Photo: Supplied.

Chairman of the Kiwifruit Industry Advisory Committee, Zespri director and chairman of the Hayward Medal judging panel Paul Jones says Sir Brian's legacy is the way in which the kiwifruit regulations have been administered to the overall benefit of growers and suppliers.

'Sir Brian has a very fine legal mind,” says Paul. 'The kiwifruit regulations call on KNZ to exercise extensive judgement and discretion in their administration and Sir Brian's thorough, meticulous analysis and vast experience has served the industry well.”

Under Sir Brian's leadership, significant changes were made within KNZ to strengthen the decision-making process and make the regulator more accountable and transparent.

'Sir Brian is a man of integrity and able to win the trust of those he deals with across the industry with his gracious manner, combining commercial and legal expertise with the ethos of public service.

'He has been a key leader and influencer in the kiwifruit industry, which has doubled in value over the decade of his industry involvement. His skills have contributed directly to increasing the wealth of our industry.”

Sir Brian says the kiwifruit industry has pulled of 'an absolutely enviable achievement”, succeeded in achieving a world-leading position in production and marketing and 'survived good times and not-so good times”.

During his tenure, KNZ has considered more than 300 collaborative marketing applications. The success rate of collaborative marketing has increased, with 93 per cent of applications approved over the past five years, up from 87 per cent for the previous five-year period (2005–2010).

Sir Brian has enjoyed an extensive commercial and public service career, including eight years as Chief Ombudsman and 14 years as Mayor of Palmerston North, and was awarded a knighthood in 1990 and made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1985.