Mike was born in Pahiatua, attending both Tararua College and Wellington College as a boarder, he began in business in 1970 at the age of 23. He has lived on the Kapiti Coast for 24 years.

Mike has a long history in business, in serving the community, and in supporting business development. He is also a family man with three adult children Amanda, Melissa and Richard.

He was an owner of the Pahiatua and Dannevirke New World stores, and at 27 became the youngest ever Director on the Board of Foodstuffs (Wellington) serving with them for 23 years. He showed his public service side early too, with two terms as Councillor and as the Deputy Mayor of Dannevirke.

In Kapiti he is perhaps best known professionally as the former owner of Kapiti Pak’n’Save for 15 years. Whilst there, he oversaw a turnaround and growth in this significant local business and employer, resulting in a substantial decrease in retail leakage from the district.

In community service, he also served two terms on the Board of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, gaining insights into how the Chamber organisation worked and how it could advocate for business and help support business growth. Then, as the founding Chairman of the Kapiti Coast Chamber of Commerce, he left another positive contribution, and was a strong early proponent of the current airport development.

Among many other things, he was on the trust of the important ‘Emergency Medical Service’ or EMS, and a 24 year Rotarian with the Kapiti Rotary chapter, being President twice and serving on District Committees with a total of 37 years in Rotary. He has also been the Chairman of Turks Poultry, mentored many business people, been a donor to many activities often anonymously, and is even now involved in projects locally and around the country.

As one of Kapiti’s most prominent business people, Mike believes strongly that if you derive your income from the community and do well in business, then you should give back to that community to make it a better place for all to live in.