Meet the Team

Taking over and making improvements!

Mike and his wife Sherie took over in 2005.
He is now the CEO of the Company.
However, taking over the reins was quite a challenge at first as Mike explains,

"I couldn’t believe that we were now running the business, there was so much I wanted to do with it. Grow the team, improve the way that we looked after the sites, make sure that we were always thinking about the Community we were working in and environmental concerns were also a major consideration to us"...

..."We wanted to carry on the good work that my father had done in making sure that we were a no 'nonsense' reliable Company. We wanted our 'clients' to know that we were a Company that would be able to benefit them and that they could trust us to just get the job done and done well. No hassles, no complaints from dis-satisfied members of the public and an outstanding Health and Safety record. This was and is always our aim and we have worked hard to make big improvements that will provide our clients with peace of mind when we work for them.

One of our major investments has been spent in up-skilling our team, employing new people to manage on-site and also promoting from within the team to make sure that our longstanding work ethics were continued. We now have tidier sites as a result and a more efficient, professional team. The knock on effect of this is that our team are highly motivated in giving 100% to any job we are undertaking!

"Our efficiency means that we are more able to stick to budgets and deadlines. I am proud of what we have achieved so far and we are dedicated as a Company to continually re-assess the ways in which we work and how we can improve.”

Where would Brown Drainage & Construction be without Sherie?

Sherie is the one that organizes the administration side of the Company. She has been with the Company since 1994 as a secretary and learnt the drainage jargon by typing methodology's and dealing with accounts. She worked her way up to Shareholder and 2IC.

Since Sherie and Mike took over the family business soley in 2005, things could of have been more frantic for Sherie if she did not have the knowledge and the skills that she had already gained. In addition to the everyday running of the firm, Sherie takes care of looking after the team, wages, debtors and creditors, general admin work, systems and customer services. Without Sherie, Brown Drainage & Construction would not be able to function. She is a 'hand's on' person and is very passionate about their business.

She is also very aware of the way that construction and drainage works has evolved over the years within local areas and the Greater Waikato region. This has all been for the better.

Local Governments now face more pressure than ever before:

"Things are just so different now. Councils want to know that they can trust the contractors that they have given the job to. Local communities are now more aware of what's going on in their neighborhood and expect to be able to continue with their daily lives whilst essential works is being carried out."

"Local governments are now under more scrutiny than ever before about the issues surrounding work being carried out, such as budgets, timelines, environmental effects. These are issues that should be addressed and faced. We are always trying to improve the service we offer to the people we carry out work for, as the problems that face them are very real and effect us too."

Not enough hours in the day

As a business owner, wife and mother to a young active toddler, there are literally not enough hours in the day for Sherie. Thankfully Ash has now joined the team to fulfill the position of Accountant. He now shares the burden and work load. These changes in the administration team are working well and there is now time to enjoy time with her family and her other passion, her dogs.

Working in a Company that promotes staff co-operation and development is key!

“Prior to moving to NZ I have worked in South Africa and the United Kingdom. My experience in South Africa was predominantly in roads and in the United Kingdom it was building. I also have experience as a Site Agents role with respect to the Co-ordination of Sub-contractors on site, orders and takeoff's for materials, Quality Control, Health and Safety and Planning.

I wanted to work for a Company that I could contribute to and that values and promotes staff motivation and development. I have found that with Brown Drainage & Construction. My motto is, 'the more positive people you have in your life, the more rewards you will reap'.”

Taking up the DIY challenge

I have two young children whom I spend a lot of my spare time with. We do a lot of hiking and camping in the summer months as a family. I also find D.I.Y a challenge in the family home!

He is proficient in the use of AutoCAD, Microsoft Project, and System Application Procedure (SAP) and Primavera among other skills.

One of Red's hobbies is karaoke. He has a passion for singing. He enjoys a good physical game of volleyball or basketball. His most recent purchase is a car so no doubt his weekends will be spent site seeing our wonderful country.