Business Editor Graham Skellern, in his last column for the Bay of Plenty Times, reflects on his 12 years writing about and celebrating local commerce, and he suggests a way forward, in these uncertain times, for the Western Bay
Flicking back through the old papers in the Bay of Plenty Times library brings happy, and interesting, memories.
I arrived at the newspaper, fresh from the New Zealand Herald, to see in the new millennium and to create an informative local business section.
Back in 2000, the section was known as Business Extra, published in the Monday edition. My first business news story on January 19 talked about "the proud but ageing Public Trust building in Grey St being given a new lease of life".
Tom Roper's Zariba Holdings spent $1 million refitting the building including putting a carpark on the roof. Zariba has since bought the Bay of Plenty Times building and other properties in Durham St and elsewhere in Tauranga.
My first business feature was about a new product called Vigrow, made by Lowe Products (NZ) in Pyes Pa. The family-owned processing company sold protein-filled deer pizzles and testes containing the natural steroid (testosterone) that helped stimulate male sex drive and vigour. Interesting.
Twelve years later, Stan and Arendina Lowe's operation has become one of New Zealand's two biggest deer product businesses, producing deer velvet, calcium, blood, tails, sinews and, of course, pizzles.
In those days, the development market was taking off. Auckland-based McLeod Construction announced it was building 23 two-and three-level terraced houses on the corner of Oceanbeach and Girven Rds - one of the first apartment complexes away from the downtown Mount hub between Adams and Banks avenues.
Papamoa Beach Holiday Park was going upmarket with 13 villas, four of them with spa baths. It would no longer be just a camping ground.
On February 28, 2000, I reported my first Port of Tauranga financial result - for the half year ending December 31, 1999. It contained the first real impact of the new MetroPort inland port in Auckland and the net profit reached $9.5 million on operating revenue of $34 million.
Twelve years later, the port's first six months profit (ending December 2011) was $34.6 million on revenue of $105.7 million - its business having tripled in that time. Port of Tauranga is destined to become the North Island hub for international shipping lines before too long.
At the end of February in 2000, Charlie Carter retired as manager of The Warehouse Papamoa after 50 years in retailing, and soon after I wrote about Taura Natural Ingredients which came close to moving its Owens Place operation to Australia, since only 10 per cent of its sales occurred in New Zealand.
Taura (short for Tauranga), now operating for nearly 40 years, stayed on and has become one of the region's most successful businesses, with major manufacturing plants in Belgium and at the Mount servicing a global market.
But the (early) profile I enjoyed writing the most was visiting a passionate entrepreneur, who then kept himself private and under the radar. I was intrigued.
He invited me to his office in Aviation Ave that turned out to be a workers' hut flogged from the Huntly Power Station. I sat chatting with him among the paint pots, and he told me: "Wipe your feet when you walk out, not when you walk in."
I wanted to know more about the bloke, then 60, who could make an $18 million property swoop and buy 32 houses, as well as take over 20 commercial tenants.
That bloke was Bob Clarkson who became MP for Tauranga and the city's biggest commercial landlord. That 7.8ha land became the Gate Pa Shopping Centre.
It was the first time he'd been interviewed in Tauranga and he has done plenty more since then.
This is my last business column after 12 years of profiling successful companies in the Western Bay and recording the different business events that have contributed to Tauranga's development.
I thank the business community for its support, and the trust and respect it has given me. I especially thank all the columnists over the years who have found time in their busy lives to contribute to the depth and strength of the Business Section.
The Western Bay is full of lively and inventive entrepreneurs who have developed niche products and markets. Even though the economic downturn has lingered on longer than we all thought, the important thing is that they don't lose confidence or their vision.
It hasn't been easy these past five years, but the region will be better off if the entrepreneurs, and developers, keep innovating and they are given the support to grow.
One of the biggest changes looming on the (not-so-faraway) horizon is local body reform. The politicians, and community, should embrace this.
Business, during the past five years, has had to re-group, including cutting costs and transforming to be more efficient and pro-active. This should also apply to local body government.
All eyes are on the Auckland Super City reform and don't look too long or you could be left behind. Change is the buzz word up north. Auckland is determined to be the most liveable city in the world - whatever you may think of the traffic congestion.
Local government amalgamation in this neck of the woods will cut public costs, and create a more powerful voice and stronger place in the sun.
For instance, a result of the reform could be one Western Bay (council-controlled) organisation involving tourism, events and economic development under one umbrella. Sure, that means Tourism Bay of Plenty, Creative Tauranga, Priority One, the events teams of Tauranga City Council and Tauranga City Venues Ltd, and even Sport Bay of Plenty, combining.
But that produces a more powerful and higher profile vehicle which could attract a bigger pool of funds and bid for bigger attractions and events that produces economic growth.
Growth in the Western Bay has slowed during the past five years and more direct investment in the region will provide a spur for planned developments.
The Tauranga downtown waterfront precinct can be finished, properly (take a look at the Wynyard Quarter in Auckland), and the tertiary education campus in Durham St can be built.
These two projects alone will attract more visitors and students who are spending more in Tauranga.
They will make a big difference to the future of the city, and the region.
I return to a final quote from Bob Clarkson: "The key thing, you know, is to always sit in the front of the bus and see where you are going; not in the back and look at what has gone behind you."
My new journey is just beginning. There's no looking back. But I will always believe that Tauranga should be the best city in the country.