KEY POINTS:
He is known around the Auckland waterfront as "Mister Maritime Museum" and that is a title Bob Croker richly deserves.
Having been involved with what is now the New Zealand National Maritime Museum since it was nothing more than a plan in the late 1980s, Croker has just
stepped down after 12 years as chairman of the museum's board.
His active and enthusiastic input into the museum's development has been immense.
He successfully steered it through some periods of serious crisis, even stepping into the CEO's role for two years when the fledgling organisation was on the verge of financial collapse.
A Wellingtonian, Croker moved to Auckland in 1963 to become a partner in the accountancy firm that is now Ernst and Young. That is when he first became involved with things maritime, crewing on the light displacement yacht Saracen in 1964.
The Saracen experience gave him a taste for fast yachts which led to a spot aboard Neville Price's revolutionary racer Volante.
Designed by Bob Miller (later to become Ben Lexcen who designed Australia II, the boat that wrested the America's Cup off the United States) Volante was a yacht Croker describes as "challenging" to sail.
With a young family he gave up sailing to concentrate on land-based activity.
His association with the museum began in the late 1980s when he was recruited to assist with the financial aspects of the project. He applied his accountancy experience and financial know-how to every aspect of the operation, saving costs and ensuring it was completed on time and under the budget of $12m. A founding member of the museum trust board, he was elected chairman in 1995.
At that time the museum was struggling and Croker took over the added role as chief executive for two years until there was enough in the bank to appoint a CEO.
During his time in the top job he downsized staffing from 57 to 15 with volunteers now doing the work of 11 fully-paid staff. He also set up contract arrangements for the Line 7 retail shop, museum café, conference room and the Pride of Auckland sailing operation. During those early years he negotiated an understanding with Auckland City that ensured stable and ongoing funding.
He also initiated an association with Ports of Auckland.
The port company had been totally supportive of the project from the planning stage.
Other Croker initiatives included locating the America's Cup media centre in the Hall of Yachting, the installation of the Pacific Discovery Theatre, the building of the scow Ted Ashby, and hands-on involvement with the Sir Peter Blake memorial project and NZL32.
He also set up the Bill Laxon Maritime Library Foundation, fostered continuing liaison with the Navy Museum and worked closely with the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust to have its fleet, including the exquisite Waitangi, based at the museum,
It is no surprise that trust chairman John Street has had a long association with Croker and the museum. He helped the original team to begin collecting exhibits which were housed in the sheds on Princes Wharf and was appointed to the inaugural museum board. In 1988 he bought the Ralph Sewell-built sailing ship Breeze for the museum. Street credits the retiring chairman's financial expertise as his biggest contribution.
"Bob did the sums all along the way and always got the right answers," says Street.
"After 12 years as chairman it's time to go," says Croker. "I've had a long tenure and an intimate association with the Maritime Museum. I think I've been lucky. The museum is in great shape with a dedicated board of trustees. It is hard to single people out after so many years, but I must particularly mention the late Sir Gordon Tait and the substantial and ongoing support of the City of Auckland and Ports of Auckland. The best appointment I ever made was that of Larry Robbins as CEO seven years ago. I thank the staff and volunteers and wish the museum well. It can only go forward."
The new board chairman is management consultant Alastair Aitkin.
