Small show, big heart.

It's been nearly two years since I last ran a show, something more than a BBQ for mates anyway. No, a proper show; three course dinner, lighting, talent and script. The whole bit. At Nuix I called show regularly for medium sized gala dinners, keynotes and business sessions, and over the years I grew to love the thrill of them and the creative freedom you could express as you 'made show'. But of late, not so much. I'm working with some great experience marketing and design folks now via my new consultancy Skeme, however I haven't executed for them - yet.

So when my partner Tacia started work at a not-for-profit industry association, and the job came with an annual awards night, my interest was piqued. The New Zealand Security Association is a body that represents the businesses involved in patrol, surveillance, alarm and personal security. Not yet 50 years old they are small. Just four staff, around 200 members and have struggled a little in the past. They do a bunch of good things, and one is that they hold an annual NZ Security Awards which has just executed. I volunteered to assist with calling show, slides and helping out to spec AV and just general advise on running the night, but was also asked to MC the preceding industry symposium, a 50 pax, 2 hour, 4 speaker update on trends, rules and tech.

The event side of things went fine. Tacia had organised the heck out of it so I was just focused on content and staging. On the night I sat and flicked through the slides, called a few lighting cues and talked shit with the AV crew. Usual thing. It all looked sweet and flowed like a dream. Even ran 20 minutes early! Not bad for 19 awards.

But what really stood out was the awards and their winners. As MC Te Radar said after "It was a really fun and emotionally charged night...". He wasn't wrong. With winners ranging from a knighted 80-something Waitako legend, to new citizens in their first paying job in NZ, they each had a story, and the stories were amazing. Here is a good example:

"Adele intervened in an assault between a teenage male and female at a train station where she was providing a security presence. On being informed that the male had previously raped the young woman, she managed to separate the youths and remove the immediate conflict. The young woman was however extremely distressed and threatened to jump in front of a train. Thinking quickly, Adele signaled to her colleague to call 111 and then distracted the teenager and engaged with her by telling her stories about her own three kids and how she loves them to bits and in the process affirming to the young woman how much she had to live for. All the while Adele positioned herself between the girl and the tracks subtly guiding her away from the edge until Police arrived."

When Adele (shown below, she is wearing red lipstick and a cheeky grin) walked on stage to receive her Security Officer of the Year award she said "I have faced several challenges to get here. But each one of them has strengthened me to make the person I am today; a highly professional, strong, confidant woman who knows exactly what she wants."

Cue standing ovation. And cue tears.

And then there was Reremoana Keremete who picked up a gong. She has battled cancer, returned to work and is a "stickler for procedure". Just last week (and this was after she was selected as the winner) she saved the life of a chocking baby at a mall she supervises. When bystanders wanted to contact local press about her actions, she politely refused, saying she didn't want publicity for doing her job. I nearly missed the next cue through my reddened eyes.

And there were more. Many more. And not just about the incidents like that - the public facing stories - but stories from the technicians and administrators. The trainers and the integrators. Stories of people given a go, of long walks to higher achievement, of total focus on the highest standards, of complete commitment to growing the businesses and themselves.

The last award is the Ian Dick Memorial Trophy which is handed to a winner of one of the other awards. Selected was Graeme McKenzie from Alarm Watch, a first time nominee. After 28 years with the same company, working his way up from a teenage technician to now Technical Manager for a firm of 60 people, Graeme perfectly represents the 'ground floor going up' mentality. Ohh, and in his spare time he runs a Facebook group for over 600 technicians from around the country to help raise standards across the entire industry.

When near the end of the night the NZSA Chair Brett Wilson took the stage to wrap things up, he asked all of the nominees and winners to stand so they could be recognised once again. And he enthused on how many woman were present, and how much training had played a part in the nominees present there.

Now it's not really fair to compare award nights. I have been to a few. And there is no doubt that car dealers deserve reward for smashing sales records, but this was different. And despite reading the script before the event, I had no idea what to expect. It was awesome. And one I'll not forget in a hurry.

Te Radar, as I said earlier, was of the same mind. He has done hundreds of these things (and it shows, he was fantastic, breezing through a long and phonetically challenging script with wit, charm and loads of laughs) but you could see it's affect on him too. He was choking up as I was.

It was an honour to be in the room. And a learning experience for me. I have always loved getting my teeth sunk into new industries, new technology and new markets. But it is not often you get to experience a new vibe. Every group function has a unique feeling. But this one had an aura that is steeped in pride - or mana as Māori would say. One grounded in service like the military but also entwined with the threads of personal improvement. It is an industry that draws in many who are at a turning point looking for a role that means something for them and a foundation to start again.

One of the key programs the NZSA currently runs identifies people receiving benefits and pre-screens them for the industry. The Government chips in money to pay starting wages while the NZSA organises licenses and helps them in many cases overcome barriers to employment. Three of those MSD Work Broker candidates were there last Friday. Two received awards while one, Napat, who works for the NZSA, stood proudly at the table side of stage, dapper in his new suit, handing awards out to the sponsors who got to shake the winner's hands. His presence closed the circle on the evening.

Next year the awards are in Christchurch, a place overflowing with emotion and relevance for the security industry post the horrifying tragedy that took place there in March this year. If I am honored to be asked again to help, I'll be there. And I'll be packing extra tissues. I'll need them.