Alex McKenzie
{{Other people|Alexander McKenzie}}
{{Short description|New Zealand sharebroker and National Party president}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Sir Alex McKenzie
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KBE|size=100%}}
| image =
| caption = Chapman in 2019
| order = 5th President of the National Party
| term_start = 1951
| term_end = 1962
| predecessor = Wilfrid Sim
| successor = Jack Meadowcroft
| birth_name = Alexander McKenzie
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|10|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Invercargill, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1992|08|20|1896|10|26|df=y}}
| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| spouse = {{marriage|Constance Mary Howard|1935|1966|end=d.}}
| relatives =
| children = 4
| occupation = Sharebroker
| party = National
}}
Sir Alexander McKenzie {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KBE|size=85%}} (26 October 1896 – 20 August 1992) was a New Zealand sharebroker and company director. He served as president of the National Party from 1951 to 1962.
Biography
Born in Invercargill on 26 October 1896, McKenzie was the son of Alexander and Isabella McKenzie.{{cite book |editor-last=Traue |editor-first=J. E. |editor-link=Jim Traue |title=Who's Who in New Zealand |edition=11th |year=1978 |publisher=Reed |location=Wellington |isbn=0-589-01113-8 |page=182}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths |title=Birth search: registration number 1896/12845 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=7 January 2022}} He was educated at Southland Technical College and Southland Boys' High School.
McKenzie enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during World War I on 14 November 1916, and saw active service in France with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He was wounded in action on 18 August 1917, and was subsequently assessed as being permanently unfit for active service and returned to New Zealand for discharge.{{cite web |url=https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE19002558 |title=McKenzie, Alexander – WW1 40996 – Army |publisher=Archives New Zealand |access-date=7 January 2022}}
McKenzie married Constance Mary Howard on 10 October 1935, and the couple went on to have four children.
McKenzie was a sharebroker, underwriter, and director of several companies. He was chair of the Auckland division of the National Party from 1942 until being elected as party president in 1951, in which role he served until 1962.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19510711.2.117 |title=National Party conference |date=11 July 1951 |work=The Press |page=8 |volume=87 |issue=26470 |access-date=7 January 2022}}
In the 1962 New Year Honours, McKenzie was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for political services.{{London Gazette |date=1 January 1962|supp=y |issue=42554 |page=40}} He died in Auckland on 20 August 1992, aged 95.{{cite web |url=https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/indexcards/id/295196 |title=Index Card: McKenzie, Sir Alexander, KBE. 1896–1992 |website=Kura Heritage Collections Online |publisher=Auckland Council |access-date=2024-08-16}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{s-bef|before=Wilfrid Sim}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the National Party|years=1951–1962}}
{{s-aft|after=Jack Meadowcroft}}
{{end}}
{{NZ National Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKenzie, Alex}}
Category:People from Invercargill
Category:People educated at Aurora College (Invercargill)
Category:People educated at Southland Boys' High School
Category:New Zealand Military Forces personnel of World War I
Category:New Zealand National Party politicians
Category:New Zealand stockbrokers
Category:New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire