100 People Behind Bay Business - 2023

VENUES | PEOPLE
BAY VENUES
connecting our communities through exceptional experiences
Community connection is key. It is as important as it has ever been here in Tauranga. We
are one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s fastest growing cities; our population continues to
soar; our neighbourhoods continue to expand. Bay Venues has an important role to play
when it comes to community connection.
The 24 public facilities we manage on behalf
of Tauranga City Council – aquatic centres,
indoor sports venues, gyms, community
halls – are places where people can meet
and interact, share moments and milestones,
and experience a sense of belonging. There is
increasing demand to upgrade our ageing facilities
to ensure they meet the needs of the community.
Our purpose as an organisation is to create
exceptional experiences in each of these facilities
every single day that will bring people together and
encourage them to return. This purpose guides
our newly formed executive team as they weave
together all areas of Bay Venues and work towards
our vision of being The Best Venues for the Bay. The
common thread is always community connection.
CHAD HOOKER
chief executive
Our 24 venues across Tauranga host nearly two
million visits a year and we want every one of those
visits to be exceptional. That requires a huge
team effort. Our general managers work closely
together to ensure Bay Venues and all of our people
operate as one cohesive unit; all departments
complementing each other; all departments
driven by the same purpose – to connect our
communities. For 11 years I was the Director of
Operations at H3, Hamilton City Council’s event and
venue division. Before that, I managed shopping
centres for more than a decade. Our Bay Venues
executive team has that same mix of community
and commercial experience and together we are
firmly focused on this organisation being a great
host and connector for our rapidly growing city.
TINA HARRIS-
RIRINUI
general manager: operations
Operations is the heartbeat of Bay Venues. It
consists of events, aquatics, sport and fitness,
and community centres and halls. I have worked in
the sport and leisure industry my entire career, I
am incredibly passionate about it, and I have seen
first-hand how our facilities and the people within
them contribute to the fabric of our communities.
These facilities are places where people can
come for sport and recreation, to socialise,
revitalise, relax, learn, enjoy, exercise, hone their
skills, be looked after, compete, eat, and develop
friendships. Attending events can offer a range of
benefits, such as the opportunity to connect with
like-minded individuals, expand one’s knowledge or
skill set, experience new perspectives and ideas,
gain inspiration and motivation, celebrate, have
fun and enjoy social interactions. Our Bay Venues
operations team runs a diverse range of facilities,
activities, and events that are available to both our
communities and visitors to the city, to participate
in and be entertained by.
SAMANTHA WILKIE
general manager: customer experience
The customer journey might start with a click. Or
a call. Or maybe a walk through the door at one
of our venues. Customer experience in 2023 is
marketing an activity or event, booking lessons,
communicating updates and serving customers
across multiple platforms, all while making sure
it is an exceptional and integrated experience
throughout. Over the phone, in person, and
online. With almost 20 years in the marketing and
communications industry, both internationally
and locally, and with a strong background in digital
technology, I am leading a customer service team
that is focused on providing exceptional customer
experiences at all venues at all times. These
experiences help to connect our communities and
leave a lasting impression.
ADAM ELLMERS
general manager: finance & commercial
Bay Venues is currently undertaking a significant
digital transformation journey, enabling us to
operate more efficiently, as well as improve
understanding of our business and the needs of our
communities. A large part of my role is identifying
where we need to invest in our business support.
I come from a commercial finance background
and have seen the benefit of investing in digital
50 | 100 – PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS | 2023