Kerry Clark, who is credited with modernising bowls, has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours.

Outside of Michael Jones’ knighthood, Clark gets the highest award for a sportsperson or administrator, being made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to bowls.

Clark, who is stepping down from Bowls New Zealand with his replacement taking over next month, is the country’s current longest serving chief executive, having run the organisation since it started in 1996.

Clark, who began bowling as a schoolboy in Cromwell in the early 1960s, won a Commonweath Games fours gold medal in Christchurch in 1974.

He is widely acknowledged as steering the sport through changing times to keep it relevant for new generations of bowlers.

Clark was given a Sport New Zealand lifetime achievement award last year.

World renowned anti-doping expert Graeme Steel and thoroughbred racing administrator Allan Fenwick have been made Officers of the NZ Order of Merit.

Steel, who is honoured for his services to sport, is chief executive of Drug Free Sport New Zealand, formerly the NZ Sports Drugs Agency, which he was instrumental in forming and then leading.

He has been involved in all areas of anti-doping, including developing and administering testing and education programme, and helped develop the International Standard for Doping Control.

Fenwick was New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chief executive from 1993-2005 and oversaw reforms such as the introduction of the Judicial Control Authority and National Racing Bureau.

He has also been a board member of the TAB and New Zealand Racing Authority and served on a number of international racing bodies.

Netball administrator and educator Jackie Barron, long-time Canterbury cricket servant Cran Bull, rugby’s most prominent legal figure Tim Gresson, rugby league identity Ray Haffenden, harness driving champion Maurice McKendry and rugby league and cricket broadcaster Allen McLaughlin have all been made Members of the NZ Order of Merit.