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Guest Speaker This Week

George Hickton

In April 1999 George Hickton was appointed chief executive of The New Zealand Tourism Board one of the highest profile positions in New Zealand. In fact George Hickton has always been in the front line of change and where innovation and leadership is key.

In December 1994 he took over the reigns of the TAB to take it into the era of sports betting. The TAB also owns its own television network, Trackside Channel which provides free-to-air racing coverage throughout New Zealand. The TABl handles a total on and off-course betting turnover of well over $1.0 billion dollars.

George has extensive management experience having worked in senior positions with Honda New Zealand as general Manager Sales & Marketing and Ford Motor Company in a senior HR role. He is a board member of the TAB and the New Zealand College of Management.

For any serious business discussion on change management delivered in a no-nonsense but highly stimulating manner George Hickton has a track-record second to none. He has "been there" and is "still there".

George promises to be a truly entertaining speaker.

Keeping Fit this Christmas

Our fellow Rotarians in Otago have organised a series of tramps - Milford, Routeburn, Greenstone to name a few - and a bike ride on the Central Otago Rail Trail for the end of the year. Check it out on the website www.otagorotarytrusttramps.org.nz.

Photo Competition

We have a winner!- Sue Mills & Brian Smellie took away the prize with their photo in Lonavala (which incidentally was the town where Janet Grigg- who spoke to us some time ago - spent her time helping with the build for Habitat for Humanity). Congratulations also to Rose Thomas and Robin Maud who were the runners up. We raised about $300 from the competition which will be used towards the purchase of a shelter box.

Breaking News

The Club has a new Treasurer. At a special meeting last week the club directors appointed club member and local stockbroker, Dave Belcher, to be our club treasurer with his appointment to the position to take effect immediately. Thanks to Dave for taking on this role.

Duties

Meeting Date	14 May 2008	21 May
Speaker	George Hickton	Paul Quinn
Subject	CEO Tourism New Zealand	Standing Against Trevor Mallard
Introduce speaker	Greg Thomas	Gavin Watson
Thank Speaker	Barbara Sherwood	Larry Savage
Thought	Peter Saunders	Barrie Shute
Sergeant	Suzanne Wareham	Pat Prescott
Back-up sergeant	Pat Prescott	Joe Daley
Box	Robin Maud	Ian Mills
Grace	Terry Bach	Bill Cropp

 

Happy Birthday this week to:

Greg Thomas on 14 May.

 

An American tourist was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The tourist complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The tourist then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The tourist then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The tourist scoffed, " I can help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you could run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

The tourist replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the Mexican.

The tourist laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

 

Have a good week everyone!