Meet the Team - William Gee

Meet William Gee

Laboratory technologist at ANZCO Foods Green Island

William Gee, known around site as Bill, has worked in the laboratory at Green Island for nearly 29 years. He tests product, screens ingredient, and does allergen, environment, potable water, and trade waste testing to make sure that the site's activities are compliant and meet standards.

He started out working in a hospital lab straight after leaving high school - right into the deep end, as he says! He then studied a Bachelor of Science and became a medical technologist, going on to work in virology and microbiology at the hospital. While he was working he contracted tuberculosis after a tube broke in a centrifuge machine and sprayed the virus across the room - and this happened while his wife was pregnant with their second child! (Fortunately this process is safer now as centrifuges are closed, and the tubes are made of a hardier material). After that, Bill worked for Alliance at their lab, providing testing for ANZCO before there was a lab at Green Island. When Alliance closed their Burnside site, ANZCO took him on to manage the laboratory, and he's been with us ever since!

Outside of work, Bill enjoys a bit of gardening, but what really keeps him busy is yachting. When he was younger, he was a competitive swimmer and he reached top 6 in the country, and after having that experience he was passionate about helping his kids get involved in sport if they were keen. When Bill's son showed an interest in yachting, Bill supported him to compete and he eventually got involved in the local yacht club where he ran races most weekends - and he's still involved in running races, even though his son has grown up! 

Bill has a wife and three children; his son, who now works for Silver Fern Farms in Dunedin in beef planning; and two daughters, who both work in Christchurch; one as an intensive care paramedic and one as a police officer. He also has an 8-year-old black labrador called Meg, and a cat called Yoda. After a busy day, Bill gets home and puts his feet up with a coffee and a snack - his favourite snack is homegrown tomatoes!

Fun facts

• Favourite flavour of ice cream?
  Black forest
• Marmite or vegemite?
  Vegemite
• If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
  The UK
• What's your favourite book of all time?
  Babi Yar by A. Anatoli