Carterton man opens NYSE trading day

Employees who work under parent company, Global Payments, rang the New York Stock Exchange bell on April 25, including Carterton businessman Richard Etti, far right. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

It might have been the New York Stock Exchange floor, but a Carterton businessman still paid tribute to Anzac Day as he rang the exchange's famous trading bell on April 25.

Ezidebit NZ national sales manager Richard Etti wore a bright red poppy during his visit to the stock exchange after winning the privilege to ring the bell for the start of trading.

Richard Etti and his partner Ana Edwards in New York. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Mr Etti said he won the week-long trip as part of a "lottery" for employees under his firm's parent company, Global Payments, and took his partner Carterton beauty therapist Ana Edwards with him on the adventure of a lifetime.

"There were 13 winners from different regions around the world for the 15th anniversary of Global Payments. I won it for the Asia-Pacific region out of all of the Ezidebit employees in Australia and New Zealand," Mr Etti said.

"You start the trading for the day by ringing the bell at the stock exchange. It was pretty cool.

"They put us up at The Ritz for two nights, and flights and accommodation were paid for."

Mr Etti said the experience of ringing the bell was different than he thought it would be, witnessing a very relaxed environment at the stock exchange.

"I spoke to one guy who had worked there for 30 years, and he said he'd seen a change since being there from like the paper tickets that they used to have. Those crazy times where people would just yell out everywhere, to where it's just fully automated on the computers now," Mr Etti said.

"Looking at all the craziness that was done before, it's quite a subdued environment.

"No one was yelling or stuff like that, and people were just looking at computer screens, they looked quite relaxed."

He added that other highlights of the couple's trip included seeing Jersey Boys on Broadway, visiting the 9/11 Ground Zero site, and "experiencing everything that New York had to offer, from the helpful and friendly people, to all the magnificent buildings and landmarks".