I want to give something back to the community that I have been a part of for the last 23 years. Having moved south from Greymouth to work for the ILT, I have spent this time working in the Hospitality Industry or educating its future work force.

I have worked in seven Trust establishments as well as operating my own restaurant.

This gives me a powerful insight into the workings of both the Trust and the wider hospitality community.

From 1990 - 2001 I was Manager of the School of Hospitality at SIT training future hospitality professionals. For the past six years I have been teaching at SBHS recently wining the Hospitality Tutor of the Year.

I was President of the Invercargill Summer Festival, President of the Southland Branch of the NZ Chefs Association; I am Chairperson of the SIT Hospitality Advisory Committee and represent Southland on the National Schools Advisory Committee.

 

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I am seeking a position on the Invercargill Licensing Trust Board as I want to give something back the community that I have been a part of for the last 23 years.

 Having moved south from Greymouth to work for the ILT as a chef I have spent this time working in the Hospitality Industry or educating its future work force.

I have worked in seven trust establishments as well as operating my own restaurant and have worked for other independent operators in the city which gives me a powerful insight into the workings of both the trust and the wider hospitality community. This is supported by me regularly attending hospitality industry competitions and events and travelling overseas regularly where I always take the opportunity to visit other hospitality establishments.

 For ten years I was the Manager of the School of Hospitality and Catering at the Southern Institute of Technology training the future chefs and hospitality professional and for the past six years I have been teaching catering at Southland Boys High School with me recently wining the Hospitality Tutor of the year title.

 I also have a back ground in staging events having set up the Celebrity Chefs Dinner, Bungalow Cooking School and Invercargill Longest Lunch. I was President of the Invercargill Summer Festival for 10 years, am immediate past President of the Otago/Southland Branch of the New Zealand Chefs Association; I am the Chairperson of the Southern Institute of Technology Hospitality Advisory Committee and represent Otago/Southland on the Hospitality Standards Institute National Schools Advisory Committee.

 We have some of the best hospitality establishments in New Zealand what is lacking is a level of service to match these facilities. I would like to see more on the job training with in the Trust business and the opportunity for staff to up skill and gain a range of experiences. This I believe could take the form of an in house scholarship programme for staff. The Trust gives financial support to a range of organisation but what does it give back to the industry and personnel that it generates it income from.

Here would be an opportunity to not only give something back to the industry but this would lift the standard of service offered by it staff which then benefits the wider community who use the trust facilities.