Having held the position at the council for 12 years, the lawyer said he was going to enjoy some time with his family while he considered options for his future.
Almost two years later, it appears his future remains in public service - this time as a limousine driver.
Speaking to the Queenstown Times, Mr Field said after leaving the council in February last year, he spent about three months mulling over his future.
"After that, I got a bit bored. Then I spent the next 12 months trying to work out what I wanted to do.
"They talked about retirement: Yeah, right. I wanted to stay in Queenstown, I wanted to be involved in the tourism industry ... it was a matter of taking advantage of the things that came along."
Now, Mr Field has five business cards. Along with providing consultancy services doing a range of property and planning-related work for clients, he is working on the Ecojet proposal, a jet-boat operation he and his business partners hope to establish on the Kawarau River.
He is also a director of the Top 10 Holiday Parks Group, the marketing organisation which runs all Top 10 Holiday Parks in New Zealand, and is involved in the Kiwi Bird Life Park, a business he was "quite passionate about".
Yesterday, he was able to hand out his fifth business card, this time as the owner of Limousine Services Queenstown, a company his family has purchased from Ross Marett.
Mr Field said he and his wife, Claire, and daughter Anna had been talking for a "little while" with Mr Marett about taking over the company, which has a transport licence to operate throughout the South Island.
"We think it's a really good business for us to run as a family.
"It has a range of activities from transfers to [trips] throughout the South Island, providing a range of tours for small groups of tourists."
The fully escorted private South Island tours include charters to Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Aoraki/Mt Cook and the West Coast Glaciers, along with local sightseeing, gallery and vineyard tours, conference transportation, dinner transfers and special events, catering for both domestic and international visitors.
The fleet of eight vehicles comprises three limousines, four prestige vans and a small bus.
Mr Field said the company already had "absolutely brilliant drivers", but he was likely to make cameo appearances behind the steering wheel.
