Aspen Sister City Business Lunch
Prosperity through Partnership
Wednesday, 10th April, 2024
12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Sherwood Queenstown
Hosted by the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce
Join us for the Aspen Sister City Business Lunch, moderated by Aspen NZ Founder and CEO, Christine Maiden Sharp, with Aspen City Mayor Torre and Queenstown Lakes Mayor Lewers, who will discuss the sister city relationship and explore similarities and differences through an economic lens.
In 1992, Aspen and Queenstown officially became sister cities. Both cities boast tourism-based economies, share historical backgrounds in mining and farming, and are surrounded by gorgeous mountains. The aim of the partnership was to foster international friendship and create connections between resort communities that face similar challenges: "Staffing problems, affordable housing for employees, we're all faced with the same issues."
For the first time in the sister city relationship, the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce will host a Business Lunch with Aspen City Mayor Torre and Queenstown Lakes Mayor Lewers. Moderated by Aspen Institute NZ Founder and CEO Christine Maiden Sharp, the mayors will discuss the Sister City relationship. They will compare similarities and differences through an economic lens, providing an excellent opportunity to meet the Aspen delegates, build business connections, and learn from our Sister City.
During the Business Lunch, we will also hear from event partner, Doppelmayr CEO Gareth Hayman. Gareth will share his first-hand experience operating a global company in the two destinations.
Event Speakers
Mayor Glyn Lewers, Queenstown Lakes District Council
Glyn Lewers is Mayor of the Queenstown Lakes District. Prior to becoming the Mayor, he served a term as a Councillor. While a Councillor, Glyn sat on the following committees:
Audit and Risk
Infrastructure
Planning and Strategy
Community Services
As Mayor, Glyn’s main areas of focus are addressing the social infrastructure needs of the community. He aims to do this through building on key relationships with local iwi and developing an overarching plan to address the needs of both locals and visitors.
Glyn comes from an engineering background and holds a degree in Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland and a Bachelor of Surveying from the University of Otago. At 19 he trained with the Royal New Zealand Airforce.
Glyn has two sons and prior to becoming Mayor, was a Junior Rugby Coach for the Wakatipu High School U14s.
Mayor Torre, Aspen City
Mayor Torre has been a resident of Aspen and the Colorado Roaring Fork Valley for the past 30 years. He is currently in his 5th year as Mayor, and previously served eight years as an Aspen City Council member. Torre is the council liaison for the Colorado Association of Ski Towns and the Pitkin County Board of Health. Torre moved to Aspen because of the support he found within the small-knit mountain town community. He is inspired by Aspen’s storied history, from the Ute tribes to the silver-mining era and the modern resort town. He believes Aspen is a special place because its natural environment, cultural endeavors, tourism, and quality of life. Torre is a passionate snowboarder, tennis instructor, and is the proud father of one son.
Christine Maiden Sharp, Aspen Institute New Zealand Founder & CEO
Former Executive Director of the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Singapore and consultant with McKinsey & Company, Christine is the Founder and Chief Executive of the Aspen Institute in New Zealand.
After living and working in Asia, Australia, and the USA for much of her professional life, Christine was inspired to launch the initiative when she returned to Queenstown, New Zealand.
Outside of her professional endeavours, Christine enjoys staying active outdoors, whether playing tennis in the Queenstown Gardens, hiking up steep hills, or cycling on mountain trails alongside her husband Roger.
The Aspen Institute New Zealand, a (proud) member of the Aspen Institute International Partners since 2019, operates from Queenstown, a sister city of Aspen, Colorado, where the Institute began. The Institute's mission is to improve outcomes on crucial intergenerational issues and foster a resilient and thriving democracy for the future generations of New Zealand. Their commitment to non-partisan, fact-based dialogue, combined with access to an influential global network, underscores the unique value they bring to the region. Learn more HERE
Garreth Hayman, Doppelmayr NZ CEO
Garreth is a visionary in the world of ropeway technology, with a profound passion for the alpine environment that has driven his career for over 15 years. As the CEO of Doppelmayr New Zealand, he has spearheaded unprecedented growth including numerous iconic chairlift and gondola projects throughout the Queenstown Region. He is deeply committed to innovation that goes beyond mere recreation, championing urban cable cars as a sustainable solution to the transportation challenges facing Queenstown and Aotearoa.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, 10th April, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Sherwood Queenstown, 554 Frankton Road, Queenstown
We are delighted to offer our Aspen Institute Community a discounted ticket price: $95.00 incl GST including lunch from Sherwood and wine from Gibbston Valley Wines