Ashburton accountant Gary Leech said it was a highlight of his long career to have received an award recognising outstanding service.
On Friday night the 74-year-old received a Meritorious Service Award at Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand’s annual Canterbury Fellowship event at the Christchurch Town Hall.
One of the organisation’s rarest forms of recognition, the awards are given out on merit. The last South Islander to earn one was not an accountant in private practice, but a Cancer Society operations manager, Bob King, more than five years ago.
Gary has been in the profession for more than 50 years.
West Coast born and bred, he said his career was one he had been drawn into by default.
Landing a job with the Justice Department in Greymouth as a court clerk after finishing school, Gary had wanted to pursue a career in law.
However, law cadetships with the department were fully allocated, so he instead took one in accounting and economics.
He graduated from the University of Canterbury with a commerce degree, moving to Ashburton in 1974 to take up a job with a chartered accountancy firm.
In 1988, as a young dad of three, he took the bold step of setting up his own firm, G R Leech & Co. It became G R Leech & Partners the following year when fellow accountants Neil Donaldson and Philip McDonald became partners.
In 2001 a Christchurch branch was established.
Located in the PGC tower, the branch had 13 of its staff trapped in the deadly February 22, 2011, earthquake.
Twelve were miraculously rescued, tragically Philip did not survive.
‘‘It was the hardest time in our lives,’’ Gary said.
The firm moved its Christchurch branch into an old iron shed at Riccarton, before later moving to a new building in the CBD where it remains today.
Gary retired from the firm, today named Leech & Partners, 10 years ago.
Looking back on his career, he describes it as rewarding.
‘‘To be honest, I just watch on in admiration,’’ he said of seeing the thriving Ashburton and Christchurch offices.
‘‘I could never have achieved what I have achieved without the backing of an amazing woman and that’s my wife,’’ he said of Anne Marie.
Another highlight had been the dedication and loyalty of many longserving staff.
Meanwhile, that youthful desire he had had to work in law was fulfilled somewhat by serving 20 years on the New Zealand accounting industry’s Disciplinary Tribunal and eight years on its Appeals Council.
The Meritorious Service Award particularly recognised this 28 years of service towards strengthening professional conduct and upholding ethical standards.
Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand South Island regional manager Scott Wagenvoord said Gary was an ‘‘unsung hero’’ who had supported not only the organisation but also businesses and charities across Canterbury.
“He’s been a part of a lot of growth in success in the region, so we’re proud to acknowledge him as an outstanding chartered accountant,” Wagenvoord said.
Gary had contributed extensively to the profession through numerous governance and committee roles, including serving on the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Canterbury Branch Committee as chair. He had been committed to developing future professionals including through mentoring and presenting national professional development courses.
Beyond professional service, Gary had held multiple directorships across sectors, including South Pacific Seeds, NZ Sock Company, Linc Technologies, City Care Christchurch, Electricity Ashburton, and Heartland Bank, reflecting broad commercial leadership.
