COASTGUARD VOLUNTEER, FAMILY MAN AND INCOMING GM AT SENTINEL HOMES BOP
At
first glance, Todd Wakerley’s career trajectory has been all about building and
making. He started as a fitter and turner, then went into business with his
brothers building motor homes.
“Then
I bought a Bobcat and went to play in the dirt for a while,’ he laughs.
Management
roles followed, in truck assembly and bus refurbishment.
Look
again, and you’ll see that Todd is actually driven, not just by making things,
but by helping people. He’s on duty one week in four as a Coastguard volunteer
and spent three years as his church’s youth pastor.
“I
love getting to know people’s stories and sharing my life with them. Sometimes
you’ve got to be a bit vulnerable to get them to open up.”
That
focus on connecting with and helping people is what made him such good fit as Sentinel Homes
BOP’s new General Manager.
SIX
YEARS ON THE TOOLS
Todd
has been working in the business since 2015. He’s been onsite as the company’s
project manager, working with clients to make sure every box is ticked, and
seeing our team go home safe every day.
“I
love working with people. That was the best part of the project management
role, I got to hang out with my mates all day.”
Taking
over from co-owner and current General Manger, Tony O’Brien, Todd will bring
that on-the-ground experience to the role. He has some big ideas for how he can
deliver more to the business and to his clients.
“I
love what Tony has done with the business, and I’m looking forward to add to
that. I can do the things I know will grow the business,” he explains.
“I
like taking on the responsibility – it’s worth not sleeping for,” he laughs.
BUSY
GIVING BACK
For
Todd, it seems that not sleeping is the only way he can fit everything in. His
church and faith are a huge part of his life and his Coastguard volunteer work
also keeps him busy. The way Tony has been running the company means Todd can
respond to coastguard calls when he needs to, even if he’s at work.
“If
I get a call, I can generally attend – that’s part of Tony’s gift to the
community, my time so I can go and do that”.
If
there’s ever time left over, Todd also loves speedway, fishing and working on
his project car – a 1965 MK 1 Cortina station wagon.
But
fundamentally, for Todd it’s all about family.
FAMILY
WILL ALWAYS COME FIRST
One
thing that won’t change with Todd at the helm is the family-first culture at
Sentinel Home’s BOP.
“I
have two kids with a life altering illness and Tony’s always said, ‘You can
disappear with your kids when you need to’. That is how I want to continue,
even with my subbies. It works on that trust.”
Strengthening
families is a thread that runs throughout everything Sentinel Homes does, not
just in the Bay of Plenty. We’re long-time, proud supporters of Parenting Place
– an organisation that Todd already had a connection to.
“My
wife was a toolbox facilitator for Parenting Place. It’s all about
strengthening family, which is so important.”
NEW
CHALLENGES AS GM
While
Todd says he’ll miss the busyness and interaction of being on a build site,
he’s excited about this new challenge – and a new way of helping people,
whether that’s his team or his clients.
“I
really enjoy building relationships and supporting people to grow,” he says.
For my clients, we’re literally putting hammer and nail to what is dreamt on a
piece of paper. This is major life expense for them and we want to get it
right. Seeing that come together and a happy client at the end is our goal.”
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