HENDERSON HEIGHTS COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol 7. Issue 1
Keeping everyone informed and up to date in our neighbourhood
July 2018
THE PAINTER WHO BECAME ONE OF THE QUEEN’S FAVOURITES!
At 58, HH resident Ron Crawford is a bit of legend. In fact, in 2017 he was awarded the QSM for services to eduction. HHCNews: Ron, you’ve obvioulsy been hugely successful, not just in business, but in life. What have been the influencers in your life? Ron: My parents were a huge influence. Dad was an RSA guy and really staunch. They didn’t have a car and they had to work hard for absolutely everything. The only way to get respect from Dad was to do the hard stuff! So my parents instilled in me a great set of attitudes: work til you drop, be honest, and don’t expect anything for free!
HHCNews: You’ve built a very successful painting and decorating business with a huge staff. Tell us how you got into that? Ron: My parents set me up with the right attitudes. This is essential if you want to succeed in life. I left school at 17 and wanted to build a great future. To do my best. My first job after I left school was in retail – John Burns. Older people will remember those shops. One day I was transferred to a new John Burns shop in Mangere. It was there I met a guy who was a painter and he asked me to leave retail and come and work for him. It’s funny how random things happen that can change the whole course of a person’s life. That’s what it was like for me when I met this painter. So I left John Burns. All my mates were getting trades or going to University so I thought when the chance to become a master painter came up, I’d grab it. HHCNews: And what was the change like? Ron: I loved every bit of painting. I loved learning how to be good at it. Not just good, but masterful. The guys I first worked with had
very high standards and they wouldn’t except any second grade work. If it wasn’t perfect, it had to be done again. I thrived in these conditions. My boss was fair but firm. For me there was huge satisfaction seeing the product of all your hard work – I loved to see buildings completely transformed through hard work and clever painting, especially old villas. I was a perfectionist, and so were the guys I worked for. HHCNews: So how did you come to own a huge painting company? Ron: Within six months of joining the painters, I was asked to be a partner in the business. After 18 months I became the foreman. The rest is history. My work in education was sort of a parallel track for me. I have been the chairperson on many school boards over the last 40 years. Currently, I am the chairman of the board at Henderson Intermediate. HHCNews: If you could pass the keys of success to young people, what would you say? Ron: First, integrity is huge. Honest people do honest things. Not everyone can be a doctor or a lawyer, but everyone can be a good citizen. Seconly, never stop dreaming. Dreams are like a carrot to drive a person forward. Third, surround yourself with open and honest people. Relationships are hugely important. At the root of good relationships are good values. So be a person of high values, and surround yourself with the same.
For all your painting and decorating needs Phone Ron on: 0274 774 647 www.universaldecor.co.nz
Keeping everyone in our Henderson Heights community up to date with news.
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