Wairarapa Building Society

ABOUT WBS

WBS provides savings and investment accounts and a comprehensive range of finance options for residential, rural and commercial property.

WBS, the Wairarapa’s only locally owned and operated financial services organisation, can trace its history back to 1873. It is proud of its long history of helping the Wairarapa grow. One in four Wairarapa residents are customers of WBS.

Management of WBS

WBS is governed by an independent Board of Directors. It operates in terms of a Trust Deed, the Trustee being Trustees Executors Limited. The Auditors are KPMG, one of the largest accounting firms. Day to day management is undertaken by a group of experienced and highly trained executives and staff.

History

WBS has a history dating back to 1873. We are proud to have been an important contributor to the growth of the Wairarapa for the past 130 years.

WBS is the product of the 1980 amalgamation of three Wairarapa-based building societies. The Permanent Investment and Loan Association of Wairarapa (established in Greytown in 1873), the Tararua Permanent Building Society and the North Wairarapa Permanent Building and Investment Society (both established in the 1930s). The latter having merged in 1960 with the Masterton Permanent Investment and Building Society (established in 1876)

From those early beginnings WBS has continued to go from strength to strength. Look at our latest financial results and you will see that we have become a substantial enterprise.

It has always been part of our philosophy to actively support the community that supports us. We achieve this through sponsoring many local organisations and by returning over 80% of our income to the local community, either by way of interest, salaries and wages or in the goods and services we purchase.

People - Committed to the Wairarapa

Because WBS is locally owned and operated it does not receive directives from a head office in Wellington, Auckland or overseas. All Directors on the Board are Wairarapa residents.

Our experienced executives and front-line staff are proud of the fact that they are from the Wairarapa and that they are working to support local people and the local community as a whole. This is reflected in the staff’s helpful and friendly approach. There is always someone ready to serve you.