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In over nearly five decades, Fred has never applied for a job or role change, nor seriously considered leaving Ventia, even when other construction companies came knocking on his door.
Just two days after his 18th birthday, Fred walked into our Ventia (at that time McBreen Jenkins) depot as a Survey Cadet (Chainman). He fell in love with the job as he loved the outdoors, traveling from site to site, and seeing parts of the country he had never seen before. “I loved setting out new subdivisions, dams, and roads,” says Fred.
Fred quickly progressed to a Surveyor with a Chainman working under him. His understanding of construction processes made it easy for him to transition into supervising works.
I managed the join-ups at each end of the 3 km Hikurangi Bypass site onto SH1 and later moved into tendering and project management.
In the late eighties, Fred took a significant leap and was managing other project managers, hiring staff, and overseeing the finances of projects in the Whangarei area. One day, a director came to him and said, “By the way, you are the new Whangarei Branch Manager,” a role he held for over 20 years through the transitions from McBreen Jenkins to Transfield Services and now Ventia.
Fred brings a wealth of experience across a range of projects and timelines, that he shares with his team members. He played a key role in the re-construction of the Whangarei CBD, transforming the town centre and leaving a lasting impact on the community. “Twenty years on it still looks great and I smile every time I walk through it.” He also worked on the Kauri Dairy Factory project, chasing cows out of the paddocks, extensive site works and landscaping. Another notable project was the Totara Parklands subdivision, where his daughter and partner built a new house, and two of his grandchildren now live.
A lifelong resident of Whangārei, Fred is passionate about the local area and its ongoing development. Over the years, he has been involved in many development projects such as: Kamo Street upgrade, Onerahi Shopping Centre upgrade, seal extensions, rehabilitations, shared pathways, new subdivisions and the city’s CBD upgrade, which he proudly managed.
Seeing these projects through to completion gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
Fred is excited to continue improving the development and growth of Whangārei, including engaging local SMEs to help build capability in the area. His deep commitment to the region and his desire to see it grow economically to attract future generations drive his dedication to his work, successfully delivering work for the long term and leaving a positive legacy for the Whangārei community.
Over nearly 50 years Fred has seen significant changes, particularly in safety. “In the eighties, I would wear shorts, no shirt during summer, and sandshoes,” says Fred. “Today, safety is our license to operate.” When asked what's the one thing that’s kept him at Ventia, Fred replied,
It's the people and the culture that make it special and meeting and working with some great characters.
Fred's commitment to Ventia is driven by his love for the job, the thrill of winning tenders, the great people he works with and the deep satisfaction of contributing to transformative projects in the community. He is passionate and talks with pride about the sense of accomplishment he feels seeing a project through to completion. Outside of work, Fred cherishes time with his family and enjoys participating in competitive walking events. His journey is not just a career but a lifelong passion that continues to inspire those around him.
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