In a week from now, those visiting Stamford Plaza Hotel in Auckland City would find a whiff of change in the air.If not the ambiance or even the customary service with a smile, there would be a perceptible difference in the environment.
The Hotel would no doubt continue to grow but the man who has overseen its rise for the past nine plus years would be missing.
Peter Gee, known for his smiling face but no-nonsense approach, is moving across to Stamford Plaza Adelaide, to continue his vocation in a profession that has been his source of endearment for more than 30 years.
But unlike hundreds of thousands of Kiwis who cross the Tasman in the hope of a better morrow, Mr Gee is going home.
For, in every inch of the man, there is an unmistakable and indelible trait of an Australian – pragmatic self-assertion with a will and a mood to enjoy the best that life and career can offer.
Hotel veteran
I am not sure if the wallabies know him or not, but Mr Gee stands as tall as he does in an industry that relies on the ability of people to deliver good and impeccable service. Since his formative years in Darwin (yes, there are hotels in that place too), his graduate degree in hospitality has taken him to people and places including UK and New Zealand. The properties with which he has been associated – Park Lane (London), The Regent (Sydney and Auckland) and Hyatt (Collins), in addition to hotels and resorts in his native Australia bear the stamp of his expertise and good governance, despite the test of time.
Many large corporates and high net-worth individuals have had the pleasure of dealing with Mr Gee and the Stamford with its well-appointed rooms and services. Although far removed from such opulence and affordability, we in Indian Newslink have also been beneficiaries of his wisdom, advice and of course, good offices. Suffice to say that we launched the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards (IBA) in 2008, motivated by his support and encouragement.
The Awards may have grown out of the Hotel but we remain a steadfast admirer of Stamford and of course, Mr Gee. We are counted as a good friend (and perhaps a good client) by Mr Gee and his team of highly motivated staff.
Stamford continues to be our venue for many other events, including the Indian Newslink Sir Anand Satyanand Lecture and IBA Sponsors Dinners and other private functions.
Mr Gee and his wife Ruth make a refreshingly hospitable couple, and their children (four sons and a daughter) belong to an era and culture that are distinctly Trans-Tasman.
High-rise career
Mr Gee considers his involvement in the planning and development of ‘The Stamford Apartments,’ a major construction project that added eleven floors of residential accommodation to the Hotel as a highlight of his tenure as the General Manager from 2003.
“Completed in late 2008, this Project included complete gutting of the hotel’s Lobby and other areas, significant refurbishment of all guestrooms and the total closure of the operation for a four month period in 2006,” he said.
During his stewardship, Stamford Plaza Auckland received many accolades and awards, while Mr Gee received the ‘New Zealand General Manager of the Year Award’ (in 2005), a singular honour bestowed by the industry.
While Mr Gee and his impeccable humour will be missed, we are confident that the Aussies have gained yet again with a migrant transfer, this time by the son of its own soil.
In the same breath, we announce the arrival of Paul Evans, another veteran hotelier with much acclaimed experience to succeed Mr Gee.
