Bruce Saunders

Sir Bruce Saunders
NSA member	Solomon Islands 1971 - 1990
Counsellor	Australasia 1990 - 2000

Sir Bruce Saunders, KBE is an Australian Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Solomon Islands, and the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia. In his career he is a successful businessman, and helped strengthen public institutions in the Solomon Islands, for which he was knighted.

Background

Saunders was born in Port Pirie, South Australia. At some point he married Keithie Blum, daughter of Alvin and Gertrude Blum. Bruce studied catering in 1967 and pioneered to the Cook Islands with Keithie in 1968. They lived in Honiara where Bruce was involved in several businesses. By 1969 Bruce was serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Solomons, and he served on the body for twenty years. In 1990 Bruce was appointed as a Continental Counselor for Australasia for a five year term by the Universal House of Justice, and he was reappointed for a second five-year term in 1995.

In 2000 there was a coup in the Solomons which led to disintegration in public institutions in the Islands, and Saunders assisted in establishing a civil society network. He helped found a Lions Club, served on the board of the Rotary Club of Honiara, and served as vice-chair of the Chamber of Commerce, and later served as trustee for the Blue Light Association, a youth club run by the Royal Solomon Islands Police. In the period of unrest following the coup he was twice appointed to interim Honiara City Councils.

In 2003 he was awarded the title Officer of the British Empire for his service to the Solomons. In 2012 he was awarded the title Knight Commander of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace with the unanimous consent of the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Speaker, and all cabinet ministers of the Solomon Islands.