President Phil opened the meeting at 7.32 am
Notices:
Golf Maestro Barry reported on a conversation that he'd had with Countdown management. Key point: provided Countdown get A into G and invite participants AND we're at Alert level Orange the event takes place - otherwise the charities dip out. Barry has emphasised that we're keen to go.
The speaker: The club's Crown Prince, otherwise known as the Incoming President, AKA David Hogan gave us an edited version of his life.
David was born in Cambridge (NZ) then had had his early education in Miramar/ Seatoun.
David's first job was with the BNZ in Christchurch. For a teller he had some very interesting roles which took him to Antarctica and an Outward Bound course. "A really good event". He was also required to be armed with a pistol when, as a Country Agent, he took $500,000 cash on the road to provide banking services to various small settlements in the Chch area.
Utilising his financial knowledge he then joined a factoring company then onto the travel industry.
His first major role was in Fiji where he became very familiar with many of the vicissitudes of a travel agent's life. This was the time when there was only the Regency at Denarau. A bit different from when we went there for Rotary Conferences! He had interesting comments on working in Fiji's bi-cultural society.
David and his family returned to NZ and settled on the North Shore. He established his own in-bound tourist operation which specialised in bringing visitors form SE Asia, India, China and Japan to Godzone. Chinese visitors are very sensitive to getting the price and the food right, Japanese came here to get married and Koreans would negotiate anything!
His firm was killed by the Japanese and New Zealand government's reaction to Covid 19 so now he claims to be 'fully' retired.
David is married, with three children and at least one grandchild.
An interesting insight to one of the longest serving members of the branch.
Next week's meeting: Groups - when YHC expects that Henry and his team will present the results fo the feedback that they have received from the proposals that were discussed a few weeks ago.
