Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is honoured to have won two awards at the recent Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ) Awards Dinner held in Dunedin. 

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Te Pae was awarded Medium Venue of the Year and Te Pae Christchurch Food and Beverage Operations Manager, Marzena Orlecka was awarded the EVANZ  ‘Rising Star of the Year’.  

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said he is incredibly proud of these awards. “Te Pae Christchurch has made a significant impact in a short space of time thanks to our people, our community and our clients.” 

The judges said “Te Pae Christchurch’s venue entry demonstrated clear strategic priorities including client success, business optimisation and innovation. It clearly expressed the value placed in its people and its role as a custodian of community and sustainability.” 

Director of Event Services, Nicolette Elia accepted the Medium Venue of the Year Award and paid tribute to the Te Pae team. “I am immensely proud and honoured to accept this award on behalf of Te Pae Christchurch. We couldn’t have won this award without the Te Pae team’s hard work, commitment towards achieving our vision, and passion to deliver the best experience for our clients.” 

The EVANZ Rising Star, Marzena Orlecka was honoured to receive her award, “It was so unexpected, especially with such strong nominees. I could not have achieved this accolade without the support of the wonderful Te Pae Christchurch team.”  

Marzena leads a large Food and Beverage department, which manages the venue’s food service and logistics. She has quickly risen through the ranks due to her positive professional attitude, high quality standards and values of manaakitanga.  

“In my many years of international experience, Marzena stands out as one of the hardest working individuals I have ever met. Marzena demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and her focus on delivering a world-class culinary experience is remarkable,” Director of Culinary Services, Darren Tait said. 

EVANZ General Manager Sally-Anne Coates said: “Today’s rising stars will one day lead our industry. The judges were very impressed with Marzena – clearly she is a highly valued member of the Te Pae team. The submission was full of examples highlighting her achievements and commitment to customer satisfaction.” 

Te Pae Christchurch congratulates all EVANZ awards finalists for their amazing contribution to the New Zealand venue industry.  

Date: 1 December November 2023 
Media Contact:  
Mel Gurden, Te Pae Christchurch, Marketing and Communications Manager  
T: +64 21 190 2434 | E: [email protected]