Bernie Rees awarded Life Membership

from Canberra Builder 4/2017

CHC – House with no steps

Bernie Rees Life Membership

BY GRACIETE FERREIRA

At the 2017 MBA Annual Dinner I was privileged to be given the task of awarding Bernie Rees with Life Membership of the Master Builders ACT. This is Bernie’s story…

Bernie Rees commenced his carpentry apprenticeship as a 15-year-old with George Grant and Sons in 1951. George Grant and Sons were a Sydney-based company and they were working on projects at the ANU.

After leaving George Grant & Sons after about two years, Bernie commenced working for the Government on various projects in Reid and then onto the Government workshop in Kingston doing office maintenance projects. After leaving his employment with the Government, Bernie joined Shell and Rankine for about three years.

He commenced building his first home in Canberra in 1957, his own family home in Hemmant Street, O’Connor. In 1960, Bernie began his long and successful career working for himself having established his own home building business after having attained his first builders licence as a 20-year-old in 1956.

Bernie began a long and rewarding membership with the Master Builders Association in 1965, a relationship which he has thoroughly enjoyed over the years. He has spent many years involved in judging the Association’s prestigious awards and mentoring young industry participants.

Bernie has employed numerous apprentices over the years including his own son, Geoffrey who also established his own building business and has also served as a judge on the MBA awards. Geoffrey’s business also received awards for building excellence as did other recent MBA award recipients who were apprenticed to Bernie including Guy Gleeson and Matthew Kennedy. It is estimated that Bernie has built in excess of 200 homes in the ACT and region in addition to renovations and extensions.

Bernie joined the Builders Traders Co-operative within the first 12 months of its establishment and helped purchase the land in Fyshwick on where it sits today. He subsequently served on the Board of the Builders Traders Co-op for over 30 years, including a period as chairman.

Utilising his high quality and highly regarded skills as a builder, Bernie has participated in the building of many community projects through his long-standing membership of Rotary. He was awarded a Paul Harris fellowship for his service to Rotary.

Bernie, at the spritely young age of 80, has decided that it’s time to down tools on a more permanent basis. Having wound up his business he has reluctantly had to cease his much valued and appreciated membership of MBA-ACT after more than 50 years.

Congratulations Bernie and we look forward to having you back in 2018 to judge the MBA Awards.

CONGRATULATIONS BERNIE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK IN 2018 TO JUDGE THE MBA AWARDS.

Complex Civil wins 2017 National CCF Earth Award

CANBERRA MEMBER TAKES OUT ITS FIRST NATIONAL CCF AWARD

Complex Civil have just been awarded a prestigious National CCF Earth Award, which is testimony to the hard work of a united management team and 40 dedicated staff. The Canberra building and construction industry celebrates many family success stories none are more significant than Complex Civil.

Since establishment Complex Civil’s vision was to build a sustainable engineering business focused on safety, innovation and quality.

Lach and Matt Haskins are the third and newest generation of Haskins actively involved within the Civil Engineering industry, with grandfather John being the first.

The Complex Civil team proudly receives their award in Hobart With more than 40 years’ experience in providing unparalleled service it’s not surprising that Complex Civil is one of the regions most respected civil contractors. The wealth of expertise, continued research and development and solid core values has seen this successful family company deliver major civil engineering projects, many of which have helped define the nation.

As an experienced civil contractor, Complex Civil offers multifaceted management, consultancy and construction services in a range of engineering disciplines. Backed by a team of dynamic and energetic staff, Complex Civil delivers major infrastructure projects including bridges, roads, rail, earthworks, dams and stormwater to both government and non-government civil infrastructure providers.

The company proudly leads the field in steel and concrete bridge construction, carbon fibre strengthening, concrete repair, expansion joint systems, hydraulic jacking and bearing replacement. So saying that Complex Civil is a specialist bridge

THE SKILLS GENEROUSLY AND RESPECTFULLY FLOW BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.

construction and maintenance provider is somewhat of an understatement.

Complex Civils’ reputation for excellence has spread across the nation and the inevitable has happened they are being asked to undertake major projects interstate.

Trust, honesty, integrity, research and development and open communication is at the core of this family business and has allowed Complex Civil to build strong relationships throughout the industry. Skills and expertise generously and respectfully flow back and forth through the generations.

The more complex the project the greater the talent assembled and the more interesting the project is to work on. Complexity is what makes this company tick.

Since the win The MBA has sat down with Lach and Matt Haskins for a discussion about the company, the ongoing relationship with MBA and what the first National Award means to them, this is a summary of that discussion.

“Being supported by the MBA has given Complex Civil a great deal of confidence in how we manage our business, particularly with relation to Human Resources. MBA must be important because John Haskins is a life member. His membership with the MBA dates back nearly three decades. said Matt Haskins.

“Having a voice to represent us on key issues, I mean having MBA always support us is really reassuring.” Matt continued.

“Being the first civil engineering company to win the national CCF Earth Awards makes us all extremely proud. We have a great team of people who all work closely together, we couldn’t achieve what we do without each other.” Lachlan Haskins added.

Another thing that makes this company stand out is their support of community projects and events. They genuinely believe in fostering strong relationships where they live and work. Complex Civil supports important causes nationwide.