Lee had been CEO of the Not For Profit operator of three residential aged care homes and two retirement villages in South Australia's Barossa Valley for more than a decade, being appointed to the role in October 2014.

He said he was "devastated" by the decision of the board and is seeking consultancy or contract work.

"I'm not ready to retire," he told The SOURCE.

In his time at Tanunda Lutheran Home, located 70km northeast of Adelaide and with 120 aged care beds and 108 units in two retirement villages, Lee introduced robots to clean, deliver food, return empty trays back to the kitchen, clean windows, and most recently to provide social connection, including with Andromeda's high-profile Abi robot. 

"As one door closes another door opens," wrote Lee on LinkedIn. 

His post attracted more than 50 comments praising his work and wishing him well.

Damith Herath, Professor Robotics and Art at the University of Canberra, said, "Your legacy is truly inspiring. You've been a unique CEO, championing research and deployment and understanding the nuances of robots in human-centric environments. The impact on the robotics community is immense, and your advocacy and leadership have been invaluable."

Paul Ostrowski, former CEO of home care provider Care Connect, now CEO of Latrobe Community Health Service, said, "Congratulations Lee for your leadership at Lutheran Homes. Wishing you all the best for your next steps and looking forward to catching up at a future conference."

Lutheran Homes Barossa was previously called Tanunda Lutheran Homes. The name change occurred in April 2024.