| 27 Broad vision propels Kenai’s success Russell Fredric Kenai’s Caleb Male (left), Richard Lumsden and Peter Ataallah. to page 28 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Kenai ACQUA BY DAVEY COMMERCIAL CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY APPLICATION daveywater.com acquabydavey.com | 0800 654333 (NZ) | info@acquabydavey.com daveywater.com | 1300 232 839 (AU) | sales@davey.com.au Speak to us today. Earthworks • Construction • General Works info@toacivil.co.nz 027 346 0686 When Caleb Male started his three waters and civil construction business, dubbed Kenai, early in 2021 he had a much broader vision than success based on the bottom line. The business’ name relates to Caleb being born in Alaska on the Kenai peninsula, south of Anchorage, while he and his company’s ethos is intrinsically linked to his Maori upbringing and whakapapa. When he was one year old his parents, who whakapapa to Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Porou, returned to Rotorua where they were born. In Rotorua, Caleb’s family owned and operated a business in the forestry sector, but tragically his father was killed in a work-related accident in 2010. However this did not diminsh Caleb’s strong passion for all things outdoors and he headed off to the University of Auckland to further pursue his passion, studying environmental science. Non-negotiable in establishing Kenai was to play a part in ensuring New Zealand’s resources remain in good shape for the future generations of his whanau. He also sees his staff as extended whanau and the business as a community that aims to enrich the life of himself and others. After completing his degree he gained valuable experience working as a lower tier sub-contractor on the Puketutu Island restoration project for Fulton Hogan. “It was a really multidisciplinary project, we learnt a lot and that set us up for where we are now,” Caleb says.
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