MLT president Horace McAuley was elected to the trust in 2007 as the Tapanui representative, and became the president only three years later.
At the time, he had no intention taking the position, Mr McAuley said.
"I was a reluctant nominee. Brian Dermody was the president for 24 years before he retired and they needed a replacement. It wasn't on my bucket list, I didn't have any aspirations for it," he said.
However, some manoeuvering by another board member led to his unopposed appointment to the position.
"I had a call from [board member Kate Leebody]. She said ‘Horace, I'm nominating you for president. I said well, that’s something I haven't even thought about, I haven't done any political moving, and she said to me in her words, don't worry about it."
The nomination was seconded and no other hands were put up for the position.
Fourteen years later, Mr McAuley still holds the chair.
He said he had learnt a great deal and credited the organisation as a whole.
"They had a very, very good board in 2007. It was an opportunity to learn — I would look and see and listen and hear. So when I had the position, it was with the benefit of working with a very good board, and an exceptional management team. I was guided very well. "
Mr McAuley was also a part of the New Zealand Licensing Trust Association, becoming the junior and senior vice president, and then the president, serving each role for two years.
He was awarded the last ever lifetime membership for the NZLTA, as the organisation is changing its name to the NZ Community Licensing Trust Association.
Mr McAuley said this was a great honour, but he had no intention of slowing down just yet.
"It’s special to get this lifetime membership during a term of office. It’s quite a thing, but I'm still just learning the game," he said.
In the years Mr McAuley has been with the trust, he has seen the ups and downs of the industry, from what he calls the golden years, to scrutiny from the auditor general towards trusts around the country, spurred on by some going broke and leaving debts.
Mr McAuley said in a post-pandemic world, they were finding themselves in another tough situation.
"Covid really stopped us. We're still recovering in hospitality and gaming. It’s hard work, you really can't ever take your foot off, you have to be totally committed."
In 17 years of combined meetings of all the organisations he has been a part of, he has only missed two, due to deaths in the family.
Mr McAuley said he gave it as much as he could, and enjoyed performing his role for the community.
"I’m totally committed to what I do. That’s just the way I’ve been. If I have a history, a personal history, it’s of longevity.
"I don’t tire from it, it’s what helps me get up in the morning," he said.
Mr McAuley credited longtime employees of the board and the board itself for their continued success, but said his wife was his biggest supporter.
"I wouldn’t say she suffers because she does enjoy the involvement, but it does have the ability to take up a lot of time. So you have to be driven and supported by a pretty understanding family," he said.
Mr McAuley said in regard to the years spent in service to the community, his motivation was simple.
He said the other thing that helped him get up in the morning was the people.
"The people I work with, the trust and the board, we’re extremely lucky with the staff we have. It’s why we’re such an organisation," he said.
