She’s loved every moment of it. Tauranga’s angel of protection is not ready to retire, but is passing her shield over to someone who metes out the same commitment to quality and fairness.

“No ticket, no entry, no exceptions,” has been the catch cry for Aegis Private Security’s founder and now former CEO, Heather Jones.

For the last 24 years, the company, with Heather at the helm, has provided security and safety as people have attended thousands of events across Tauranga.

Named Aegis by Heather’s father for Zeus, the Greek god of weather, it’s also a word meaning to shield and protect. But it’s not just static guarding. There’s event management, selling and taking tickets at the gate, managing parking, and more.

“At Baypark it’s everything except the catering.”

Heather says she’s done 162 school balls over 32 years, as well as the National Jazz festival at Easter, the Arts Festival in November, and the Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival. Not to mention AIMS Games, home shows, food shows, Armageddon, concerts and sports fixtures.

The Aegis Private Security team at the Papamoa Santa Parade in 2014. Photo: Supplied.

Keeping meticulous records means she can pull out figures on how many events and clients she’s provided security for.

“Having a very accurate record of how many people you've got, you can sell sponsorships, attract food vendors, organise parking and work out how many port-a-loos you need. It’s very important data.

“Dollars in the bank for the client represents their hard work and commitment. Their time and money is on the line, and a lot of events rely on gate takings to even be there next year.”

She says people coming to events often knew her face but not her name, and will say to her “oh not you again”.

“I’d say ‘Yes me again?’ That's because you're not going to try and talk your way in, you're going to need a ticket.

“We are firm, fair and consistent. That's the secret to this industry. Treat everybody as an equal.

"I've been called many things on more than one occasion. And I tell them “I don't make the rules, the client does. The same rules apply to everyone”."

Heather Jones with Miranda Clark and Bryan Knightley from Aegis Private Security with their NZSA Covid-19 Guardian Awards in 2020. Photo: Supplied.

In the 1990s while working for Armourguard, she was offered a job with two ex-detectives. They eventually sold their client base and encouraged her to start her own business and tend for a security contract. Everything snowballed from there.

“At the same time, Bob Clarkson was building Baypark. He wanted the same sort of auditing and accountability. And the next thing you know he built everything we ever required to man that place.

“Bob Clarkson used to tell me all the time how much he trusted me. And that meant more to me than anything.”

She was also access manager for Fieldays for 23 years.

When she formed Aegis, events that required security were also starting to take off.

“I think it took off for us because I have had the most amazing staff. And also an extremely robust audit trail.

“It was probably bigger than I ever imagined it would be. We started doing work in Hamilton and I went to Auckland. Gymnastics took me down to Invercargill last year, and we go to Palmerston North for Armageddon. It was more than I ever thought it would be.”

Deciding to retire, she has sold Aegis to Quintin Bigwood, director of B.E.L. Security although will continue on being available to help.

“Quintin started at Armourguard not long after I left. So we've got quite a few mutual acquaintances. Quintin has the same commitment to the staff and to the client - he's not going to change a thing. He realizes that there's a huge respect there and that's what I wanted for Aegis.”

Heather would like to thank the many clients for their support over the years and also the loyal, honest and reliable staff.

"Any business is only ever as good as the staff."