Our History
Kennedy Builders was founded over 30 years ago by Jane and Neil Kennedy, but this family’s journey began long before then and their roots descend deep into the top of the South Island…
Jane was born and bred on the hills of Mt Heslington and spent much of her childhood adventuring in the surrounding areas, particularly at the family bach in Mapua. Neil, a West Coaster from a big family, travelled with his family to live in Nelson as a young lad. Neil and Jane’s paths crossed many times in the Region and abroad before they got together and wed in 1982. They moved to Golden Bay and lived a simple life of family and fulfilling work – Jane in running a part-time catering business, and Neil in civil and later residential construction. They rejoiced at the birth of their son in 1984 and later their daughter in 1988, who both were fortunate enough to spend their early childhoods on the shores of Tata Beach. This is where the dream of Kennedy Builders came to fruition.
It is throughout this journey that the true meaning of ‘family business’ has been realised. Not only did their son work in the business for 5 years, managing the Christchurch earthquake rebuild work and helping to propel the business forward, but now their daughter and son-in-law both work for Kennedy Builders and it is hoped they are our succession plan. This is the tip of the iceberg of our family or whanau; our cohort now consists of long-enduring family friends, staff who’ve morphed into family and have invited their own loved ones to join our team, and this is the true meaning of a successful family business in our eyes.
Fast forward 30+ years and Jane and Neil have grown the construction business to what you see today. They’ve travelled the distance with contracts from Central Otago to Nelson Tasman, spanning not only the South Island but also the array of construction projects and clients over time. Perhaps most importantly, they’ve also travelled the journey of business ownership in New Zealand and understanding what truly matters in life and business – family, connection, kindness, integrity.
Core Values
We strive to always conduct ourselves and deliver our work according to our three core values:
EXCELLENCE
EFFICIENCY
INTEGRITY
We hope you enjoyed getting to know us a little, and we look forward to getting to know you in the future…
Our people are at the heart of our business here at Kennedy Builders.
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