About NZPC

Thanks Phil

Thanks Phil for your amazing contribution to NZPC.

After 22 years in the voluntary role of Contest Director, ill health forced Phil's resignation in May this year, and sadly Phil died recently. (22/07/2026)

Each year, Phil's skills ensured that the entire multi-site contest ran smoothly. This involved a myriad of tasks, some big, some small, and he managed them all with quiet competency.

He built a small team of volunteers who wrote and tested problems across a variety of languages. He communicated with sites before and after the contests. He regularly updated the website with contest information, problem sets and posted results. And he managed the Auckland site, along with the site director, year after year, sorting the contest floor, signage, refreshments etc.

On top of this, Phil also ensured that the 3 and 10 point problems were written and of the right standard for high school students starting out their contest journey. He often wrote the lion's share of these problems, including contributing to the 2026 problem set.

We wish to acknowledge Phil's very solid contribution to the contest. He has been a great champion and believer in the value the contest experience gives students. We give sincere thanks for Phil's professionalism and generosity in providing us all with a challenging, engaging programming contest year after year.