Jonathan Smith joins Art Deco Trust

After 15 years in the Auckland events management business, Jonathan Smith will be taking up a new role from next Monday when he steps into the Art Deco Trust headquarters in Napier.

Mr Smith has been appointed the new events manager - taking the place of Peter Mooney who stepped down after last February's big Tremains Art Deco Weekend.

The trust's general manager, Sally Jackson, described the recruitment process as "extremely tough" with more than 75 applications coming in from all over the country.

But in the end she said it was the events managing background and diversity which settled the process.

"Jonathan Smith was unanimously selected by the Art Deco Trust recruitment panel as the front-runner for the role," Mrs Jackson said.

"He brings 15 years of event management experience to the position."

She said the calibre of those who applied was impressive but it came down to what she said was Mr Smith's passion and proven performances within the industry which made him the stand-out.

"He comes here with a huge reputation in events management skills and he is the sort of person who will come in and do the job, and do it well."

Mr Smith said outside Auckland there were only two other places he would want to locate to - and Napier was top of the list.

"I know that my passion, enthusiasm, artistic flair and more than 15 years' experience in the event industry will help me to continue to grow the trust's excellent work in showcasing Napier and its unique architecture to New Zealand and the world," Mr Smith said.

He described himself as a big fan of Art Deco and said the new role made it an exciting time in his "career and life journey".

Mrs Jackson said as part of the recruitment she had spoken to people who had worked with Mr Smith in the events industry and had been told when they heard he was "on the case" they sighed with relief.

"Because they knew it would get done."

Mr Smith, who is set to arrive on the weekend, was owner and events director for Eventimento in Auckland.

The company was behind major events such as the great Manurewa Santa Parade and the Auckland Pride Parade.

He was also project manager for the DOCNZ International Documentary Film Awards and a lecturer in event management at bachelor and post-graduate level at Auckland's Unitec.

Mrs Jackson said he would step straight into the deco workforce with the Hawke's Bay Toyota Winter Deco event set to spark off on July 17.

"We are about to release that programme and he'll make sure that everything is well in place."