In 1976 at just 22 years old, I joined the business with my father, Tom, and became one of the youngest in the country to hold an associate of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. In 1979, I went on to become the managing director of the company, which has since grown from a two person partnership in 1976 to a company with a staff of 46 and a turnover in excess of $100 million. I am based in our Stratford office, which still occupies the same spot that my grandfather, Michael, set up in 1920. As a third generation owner, my main goal is to ensure the company remains among the top performers in the industry and that it continues to grow and prosper until the forth and possibly fifth generation of family take over the reins. In 1998, I was awarded a fellowship of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand in recognition of my services to the Taranaki real estate industry.