People & Culture

Creating a culture that keeps people around is how we’ve been strong for decades.

Our People

We invest in our people wherever we can.

And more often than not, it pays dividends. Even our COO started on the shovels almost two decades ago. While our crew are hired for specific reasons, every member has the opportunity to grow their skillset.

But as far as foundations go, we employ highly skilled, meticulously trained, and dedicated hard workers. Our management are all tertiary qualified civil engineers, surveyors, and project managers. But most of all, from the boots on the ground to the faces behind the screens, it’s our seamless teamwork that keeps everything moving.

Hick Bros Leadership Team

MARK COLE

Executive Director

Mark has progressively moved into the role of Executive Director as part of the Group’s planned succession strategy. This role enables Mark to focus his energy and experience in a supportive, mentoring role and maintain continuity of culture and strategic direction.
After joining in 1995 and becoming Director/Shareholder/CEO in 2005, Mark has been instrumental in changing the business from highly efficient practitioners of earthworks into a tertiary qualified alternative to Tier 1 engineering companies.
Mark’s key focus areas are client satisfaction and long-term planning for the direction of the Group.
Mark’s wealth of experience in business management allows him to provide advice and support in developing strategies to take the business forward sustainably.

DAN HOHNECK

Group CEO

Dan is the Group CEO. In line with our long term succession strategy, he has been progressively trained and prepared through a close working relationship and mentorship of our long time CEO, Mark.
Dan leads the operation of the Group day to day, including pricing, procurement, negotiation and managing the overall delivery of projects.
Dan has 15 years of experience with Hick Bros working in a variety of roles across the country and 20+ years of industry experience in contracting and construction management and Engineering.
With a focus on practical approaches and solutions to complex problems Dan ensures the Group delivers for its clients.
Dan is a descendant of the local Ngati Manuhiri Hapu and is proud to be continuing to build a strong local company within his ancestral Rohe providing employment, development opportunities and enriching the local landscape through the work we do.

CAROL CAMPBELL

Director

Carol is an independent Director, a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of CAANZ and a Chartered member of the Institute of Directors.
Carol has extensive financial experience and a sound understanding of efficient Board governance.
Carol holds a number of directorships across a broad spectrum of companies, including T&G Global, NZME, NPT and the Fisher Listed Investment companies – Kingfish, Barramundi and Marlin Global where she is also Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Carol was a Director of The Business Advisory Group for 11 years a chartered accountancy practice, and prior to that a partner at Ernst & Young for over 25 years.

GRAHAM DARLOW

Director

Graham Darlow is an independent Director and advisor to the construction industry.
He has extensive experience in the planning, consenting, design and construction of major infrastructure projects.
His project governance experience includes the Waterview Tunnel, Te Papa Tongarewa, Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade, Hobson Tunnel, Downtown Infrastructure Programme and many of New Zealand’s water, wastewater, transport, energy and marine projects.
Previously Graham was Chief Executive of Fletcher Construction, President of Engineering New Zealand, and Safeguard Safety Leader of the Year in 2016.
He is a Distinguished Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Member of the Institute of Directors.

TOM GADDUM

Regional Director of Operations

With the best part of a decade with the Company Tom brings an innovative approach to projects and systems. A natural leader Tom leads by example and is a hands-on manager.
Leading our Regional office Tom has been key in our expansion into the regions and permanent home in the Hawkes Bay.
Tom has been instrumental in delivery of our recent Energy Infrastructure Projects, particularly Harapaki Windfarm, Tauhara and Te Mihi Geothermal.

Our Culture

We’re no longer a small business, but the family values have stuck around. From crew to clients, we work on a bedrock of respect. Because respect always comes with a set of traits that makes business better for all involved.

✔️Professionalism and transparency
✔️ Being honourable and fair
✔️ Supportive and encouraging
✔️ Taking initiative and claiming ownership
✔️ Being proud of the quality of work
✔️ Helping others continue to grow
✔️ Boosting up diversity
✔️ Remaining humble at all times
✔️ Doing it once, and doing it right

My time with Hicks has been incredible and rewarding! The whole team at Hicks were supportive and encouraged me to try on varied construction activities right from jumping on a roller, handling plate compactors, using GPS rovers, setting up a total station, to formulating ITPs and managing QA, being involved from the ground up gave me a thorough understanding of how everything works. Every day was new and challenging, and I had a great time working with everyone at the Harapaki Wind farm!

Raveena

Auckland, New Zealand