We did not know before his Wednesday talk that Brad Weekly was a keen Bruce Springsteen fan, but we do now. Brad, originally from Eugene in Oregon, first came to New Zealand in 2008.
But then he and his family went back to the USA in 2015 before returning in 2019. He worked for 25 years for Farmers Insurance, the company his father also used to work for, then made his first venture on to New Zealand soil to start a new life. Two children later, a sojourn in Wollongong followed by some time in Waikato concluded with a return to the USA to look after his parents who were ill. He then worked all round the Pacific north west for companies such as Boeing and NASA but he missed New Zealand and in addition, his son wanted to attend university in Auckland. This triggered the return trip in late 2019. This is no time to mention the disruption from covid, but he managed a six-month contract followed now by his current work at Victoria University, his fifth university in 15 years.
A few years ago Tony Robinson encouraged him to think about Rotary and he decided it was time to think of ‘something bigger than himself’ and he joined Prot Nicholson Rotary. He will become a fully-fledged New Zealand citizen in December and this is because here is now home. What does he miss about Oregon? It could be because there is no sales tax and you are not allowed to fill your own car with petrol, but not necessarily.
A few years ago Tony Robinson encouraged him to think about Rotary and he decided it was time to think of ‘something bigger than himself’ and he joined Prot Nicholson Rotary. He will become a fully-fledged New Zealand citizen in December and this is because here is now home. What does he miss about Oregon? It could be because there is no sales tax and you are not allowed to fill your own car with petrol, but not necessarily.