KEY POINTS:
Former high school teacher Gary Dawson is two-thirds of the way to the dream Kiwi job.
Dawson is chief executive of the Chiefs Super 14 franchise rugby team and, last year, became the boss of the New Zealand round of the international A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.
"All
I need now is a job with Lion Breweries and my life would be complete," he says. "The great thing about working in sport, whether it's rugby or motor racing, is that no two days are the same, there's plenty of variety, plenty of challenges."
The challenge for Dawson is to ensure a thrilling spectacle for the roughly 40,000 petrol heads expected at Taupo Motorsport Park during this year's A1GP race weekend - as well the sponsors, broadcasters and a live worldwide television audience of about 8 million people.
The race costs between $3 million and $4 million to stage, not including the racing teams' costs of attending, and last year generated an economic benefit of about $25 million, he says.
"This year, the sponsorship market has been tight and I think just about every sport is finding that."
Most companies operate to multiple-year plans, develop brands and customer loyalty over time, and build towards longer-term performance goals.
Dawson has only 3 1/2 days in which to deliver and likens it to staging a rock concert.
"You take a big gamble on things that are outside your control like relying often heavily on a big walk-up crowd on the day," Dawson says.
"If it's raining then that diminishes your revenues."
Despite the one-off nature of the business, the basis for success in sport is fundamentally the same as any other business: focus on the customer.
"I think you've always got to be focused on your customer, the fans, your sponsors and broadcasters to make sure that we're delivering what they want and really that's a business model isn't it?"
Last year, people thought the race lacked passing opportunities - the moments of high drama in a race when drivers push the limit to gain a place at the risk of losing control and even a championship.
The 3.5km Taupo Motorsport Park track has been adapted to provide more opportunities this year with cars from 22 countries - including New Zealand's Jonny Reid - capable of hitting speeds above 310km/h.
However, it appears the petrol head fraternity are turning a shade of green and, in response this year, the cars will race on a 30 per cent biofuel mix.
"Increasingly, the fans are becoming interested in it," Dawson says. "It's not just something that you pay lip service to and tick the box."
Dawson has always been a fan of motorsport, watching the V8 race at Pukekohe, the World Rally Championship and stock car events at Mount Maunganui.
"The opportunity to be involved in a New Zealand event like this that really is of international standard ... was just too good an opportunity not to take up," he says.
He took on the job as chief executive of A1GP World Cup of Motorsport NZ last July and his contract runs until June.
"March will be a good time to sit back at the beach and just review it," he says.
"I'll talk to the A1GP people and to the Chiefs' board ... and just see what their thoughts are and make a judgment as to whether I want to continue or not."
A New Zealand A1GP race is confirmed for next year, although subsequent races will depend on parent company A1 Holdings, which owns the intellectual property to the international series. In some countries, A1 Holdings sells the rights to the races and, in others, including New Zealand, sets up a subsidiaries.
Dawson's two jobs could dovetail quite nicely with the Super 14 in full swing after the A1GP race is done and dusted.
Planning for the rugby and the A1GP race takes place between May and September, with business execution for A1GP from November to January and for the Chiefs from February to the end of May.
Dawson, 53, was born in Tokoroa and studied for a Bachelor of Social Science from Waikato University before going to Auckland Secondary Teachers College and a 12-year career as a high school teacher in Tokoroa.
Then, in the mid-1980s, Dawson was selected for a six-week study exchange to Sweden that changed his life.
"We spent time with Swedish families looking at everything from Swedish government, education system, social system, the military ... I came back from there thinking that I needed a change from teaching."
The change of direction led Dawson to a sales trainee position with computer company Digital Equipment Corporation and a job selling information systems into primary industries.
During a 12-year career with Digital Equipment and Compaq, which later bought the company, Dawson's roles included sales management, human resources and director of customer services.
Then, in 1999, Dawson landed the job as chief executive of Waikato Rugby Union and the Chiefs Super 14 franchise - stepping down from his role with union last year.
It may sound like a large step but moving from business into sports administration is not such a big shift, he says. "A lot of the fundamentals of running a customer service organisation you could transfer over to sport."
Customer service in running the A1GP includes hiring the track, portaloos, marquees, getting sponsors, selling signage, entertainment, corporate hospitality, selling the tickets and drawing up a traffic management plan, which last year included nearly 40 helicopters.
"Every aspect that you can think of for a major international event we've got people to take care of it," he says.
Dawson still watches the crash and thunder of motor racing and rugby but for relaxation he turns to the beach at home in Mount Maunganui.
"I enjoy the whole beach environment," he says.
"I try and go for about an hour's walk every day ... I like to rip into a good book but just get home to the Mount, to the beach and that's where I chill out basically."
Once the international swarm of 550 bhp-engined cars has finished screaming around the track in Taupo this weekend he'll probably need a walk on the sand.
Gary Dawson
* Age: 53.
* Home: Mt Maunganui.
* Born: Tokoroa.
* Education: Waikato University bachelor of social science; Auckland Secondary Teachers College.
* Employment:
12 years teaching at Forest View High School in Tokoroa.
12 years with Digital Equipment Corporation and Compaq, including director of customer services.
1999, chief executive of Waikato Rugby Union and Chiefs Super 14 franchise.
2007, chief executive A1GP World Cup of Motorsport NZ.
