Art Deco Trust GM moving on but leaves a lasting legacy

Art Deco Trust chairman Neil Barber with out-going general manager Shane Gorst. Photo / Duncan Brown.

Napier's Art Deco Trust is searching for a new face to drive its heritage and cultural promotions, with general manager Shane Gorst due to take up a new role in the health sector.

"It's not often an opportunity comes up unexpectedly that's pretty perfectly aligned with your values and aspirations as an individual and that's what has happened with me," Gorst said.

"I'm going to go and be the general manager of Totara Health, which has a practice in Hastings and one in Flaxmere. They are a primary healthcare provider of affordable healthcare to the community and I'm a community man at heart.

"The Art Deco Trust has provided an incredible introduction to Hawke's Bay - it's the first role I had since moving here two and a half years ago and I've enjoyed every moment of it, it's a great organisation with great people."

Gorst said being able to help establish the Robert MacGregor Heritage Fund, which was launched in partnership with Napier City Council in November 2017, stood out as a highlight of his time with the trust.

"That has given out grants to half a dozen heritage projects in the city centre since then.

"The 30th Art Deco Festival was another massive highlight of my time here. We took steps to make it even bigger and even more of a community event and it went off without a hitch."

Gorst, who will finish up officially on August 31, added that working with the trust's dedicated volunteers was also a big highlight.

Trust chairman Neil Barber said the trust would be sad to lose Gorst but pointed out he has set the trust up well for "the next phase".

"He's given us 18 months of good service with quite a different style of leadership than his predecessor and he's set us up for the next phase of the organisation.

"His lasting legacy will be the establishment of the Robert MacGregor Heritage Fund and that will be something he is proud of and the organisation is proud of."

The trust hoped to have a replacement in place by mid-September, in good time for the next Art Deco Festival.

"We are quite a lean organisation, so you have to be able to work magic with limited resources but that person will be out there."