Having been Rotary Club of Queenstown’s president for the 2019/’20 year, he’s now stepped back into the role after the president-elect, who was due to take over from Neil Boniface, pulled out for personal reasons three weeks before taking office.
"I chucked my hat in the ring," Beal says, "because I’d rather see the club with an average president than leaderless and rudderless.
"I think that’s a dangerous thing for any organisation."
Beal, who formally took office this week, as he and his wife Rosanna have been in Uganda for six weeks supporting an education-related charity, says he’d have been happy had someone else stepped up.
"My self-worth isn’t predicated on having another business card."
Beal says one of his highlights as a Rotarian is the scholarships they give out to Wakatipu High students.
"You see these kids go through these experiences, it sets them up, primes them for life.
"I’d love to see us get involved with kids at the bottom end of the scale as well, the ones that aren’t natural-born leaders."
As for this coming year, Beal says "I guess I put my hand up as a caretaker, but I think the reality is it’s not going to be like that".
"We’ve got to continue to develop and grow, and we’ll do that."
He’s appointed a five-strong board to support him that’s smaller than the one he had last time "because I learnt some stuff — keep it simple and keep it nimble".
He’s also keen to nurture younger members "so they become the Rotary Club of Queenstown in the future".
