But when told she had been awarded life membership of Business South, Mrs Twemlow admits to being both shocked and humbled.
"Breaking glass ceilings, being seen where we aren’t often seen but we need to be, holding true to my authenticity and wild child has meant, on reflection, being not quite suitable for such lists, honours and recognition.
"That wasn’t ever a part of the to do list anyway, living to your values means you already know the impact you have on others," she said.
But the managing director of Dunedin-based marketing and digital transformation agency Firebrand was "completely blown away" by the accolade.
Allied Press chief executive Grant McKenzie was also awarded life membership.
Mrs Twemlow has stood down as a director of Business South, which was formed out of the merger of the Otago Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers Association.
She was initially co-opted on to the board of the chamber seven years ago after being shoulder-tapped by local businesswoman Ali Copeman.
She recalled her first board meeting — "I didn’t say a word" — and she initially wondered what she had got herself into.
But there was a really important need to play a role in shaping business for the future and she could see, in the first few meetings, that her fresh insight, different view and marketing and digital skills were needed.
After a year, she stood for election and was elected as a director, her tenure continuing after the merger with the OSEA.
She wanted to ensure post-merger that Business South was repositioned to represent "the current times" — "diverse in thought, age, gender, culture and the way things are done".
Leaving after only the first year of the organisation functioning as a new entity as always Mrs Twemlow’s plan.
"I knew I needed to make space both for others at the table but also for my own growth; seven years in an unpaid and highly demanding governance role is a long time.
"Add Covid and its five-year fast forward on all of our life strategies and it was imperative I saw out what I wanted to accomplish.
She had made good friendships and interactions and she would miss the monthly get-togethers and collaborations.
"I do believe this means the Business South we have created will continue with the original vision to represent more than the few of the past and I am proud to acknowledge my role and seat at that table — as uncomfortable as it can be."
She hoped people would want to be part of it and that diversity around the table would continue, she said.
Firebrand is a finalist in the business integrity category in next month’s The Grand Business South Awards.
Mr McKenzie was humbled by his life membership acknowledgement, saying "you don’t go into things to get anything out of them". But he wanted to get the business voice heard, often in an environment where business was overlooked.
The merger was a challenge and he was very pleased to have got it across the line after a number of false starts over the years.
Working through Covid-19 was difficult and he was very proud of the way the chamber acted during that time, trying to make sure its voice was heard "when others didn’t necessarily want to hear it".
He enjoyed the opportunity to work with some "wonderful people" and he believed Business South was "heading in the right direction".
Business South chairman Neil Finn-House said Ms Twemlow was vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and integral to its leadership over several years, working alongside Mr McKenzie as president. Together, they were both deeply involved in the transitional board activities and then both elected to the board of Business South.
"This continuity of governance, tenacity, leadership and institutional knowledge has been beyond material to ensuring that Business South has been established and is achieving such impact so soon, building on the legacy of the organisations that it was created from.
"The board could think of no two people more deserving of life membership, now they are both retiring by rotation from the board, and this was endorsed by the membership at our AGM," Mr Finn-House said.
Mrs Twemlow’s contribution to the recruitment of chief executive Mike Collins was invaluable "and her unique ability to have the strategic foresight to imagine a different future for an organisation is contagious and inspirational matched only by her ability to then execute the detailed plans needs to bring that thinking to reality."
Passionate about the region, Business South was grateful for and was much the better for people like her and Mr McKenzie in giving freely of their time and talent, he said.
