Born in Kai Iwi Beach, Whanganui, Barry Clevely spent 14 year in Waipawa before his educational journey saw him at Palmerston North Boys High School and then on to the NZ Pharmacy College. His budding drive for excellence was already evident when he graduated as top student and winner of the Kodak Prize. He spent three years doing locums at pharmacies around the North Island before becoming manager of Porirua Urgent Pharmacy. In 1965, he bought the original Waikanae Pharmacy.

During the 1960s & 70s he developed a love for property both in the rough and tumble world of being a developer and the gentler art of being an academic studying the underpinning engine room of the property market.

With five others, he formed the Waikanae Property Enterprise undertaking various developments, like Coastal Dunes in Peka Peka, and projects in Rotorua and Nelson.

In 1973 he was appointed the first employee of property development company RDC. Over his 15-year period as CEO, the company expanded its staff to 50 with offices in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. Top on the list of achievements must be the $200m National Bank Twin Towers in Auckland.

RDC also shaped the urban renaissance of Wellington City. Colenso House – the first such development designed by the famous Sir Ian Athfield.  During this time he was appointed a Director of the National Land Company which was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

On his academic side, he was invited to become a part-time lecturer by Massey University. He agreed to do so for a few weeks but ended up staying for 12 years.  A recipient of Massey University’s Achievement Award, he was made Deputy Chair of the Massey Property Foundation. He was also awarded a fellowship of the Property Institute of New Zealand.

His accumulated expertise meant he was sought after as a property consultant by the likes of NZ Rail, Air NZ and for 10 years by Te Papa. He was appointed Development Director of the $30m conversion of the former Buckle Street Dominion Museum into Massey Wellington Campus.

The latter led to the partnership called MC2 Group which completed a string of Kapiti/Horowhenua developments including the decision to venture into a totally different field  –  the creation of Horowhenua’s first substantial, gold medal winning, vineyard which continues to produce a range of wines which are exported internationally. In 2010 the NZ Institute of Surveyors gave its single national Gold Award of Excellence to the Bishops Vineyard, Ohau Village Project.

His achievements cannot be completed without mention of his more than 40-year directorship in Alpha Corporation, the holding company of Coastlands Shoppingtown & Sheffield Properties, where he is also chair of Ngahina Developments Ltd.

Despite all his achievements, the husband of Hazel, father of daughters Amanda, Sarah and Penny, and grandfather of six, he has been a quintessential Kiwi rooted in his local community.