NAWIC finalists celebrated, winners announced

What a fantastic Excellence Awards event we had on Friday 1 July 2022, hosted in Wellington at Te Papa. The weather turned out to be fantastic for a mid-winter event. The event’s major sponsor Naylor Love, 10 other sponsors and 12 gift/product sponsors, plus an army of NAWIC chapter committee volunteers made the event another one to remember.

This year we experienced a record-breaking 190 nominations, resulting in 53 finalists across 11 categories. A cohort of 40 judges and moderators undertook the task of carefully going through each nomination, calling references, and interviewing. This resulted in 28 award recipients in total on the night, with 11 category winners. It was exciting to see the diversity represented across the award winners, from culture, background through to generational.

“It was such a privilege to co-present once again with the amazing Stacey Mendonca and to have also shared the stage, this year, with the equally amazing Colleen Upton, who was our MC for the night.

Massive congratulations to the shining stars of the evening; our winners, highly commended recipients, special merit recipients and finalists. You are all wāhine toa!”

Rebecca Hodges - NAWIC President

With the maximum capacity of the venue reached by another sell out response, the buzz was obvious right from the start. With COVID restrictions meaning so many events have been canceled in the last 2 years, people were extra excited to be gathering and celebrating the excellence of women from right across the sector and the country.

BCITO trained finalists

Congratulations to our award winners:

Helen Tippett Award

• Category winner - Becky Cox, Fulton Hogan
• Highly commended - Pam McGarry, Naylor Love

Tradeswoman of the Year

• Category winner - Nikita Porthouse, Hutt Gas and Plumbing
• Highly commended - Rebecca Smith, Qualified Building Solutions
• Special merit - Anna Julian, Total Decorating

Outstanding leader of the Year - Site based:

• Category winner - Fiona Jerry, Pipeline and Civil
• Highly commended - Monique De Leijer, Fulton Hogan
• Special merit - Gazelle Moinfar, Aoraki Construction

Outstanding leader of the Year - Office based:

• Category winner - Dr Linda Kestle, UNITEC, School of Building Construction
• Highly commended - Jaclyn Pow, Beca
• Special merit - Zoe Thompson, AECOM

Rising Star - Office based:

• Category winner - Nalini Gounder, Beca
• Highly commended - Tayler Hubber-Davis, Beca
• Special merit - Rachel Pettigrew, Buchan Group

Rising Star - Site based:

• Category winner - 'Ofa-Ki-Mapalei Halatanu, Brian Perry Civil
• Highly commended - Fatemeh Ghanbari, HEB Construction
• Special merit - Sweta Chand, Dempsey Wood

Excellence in Construction Administration - Office based:

• Category winner - Sali Mann, Fulton Hogan
• Highly commended - Hollie Atarau, Waiotahi Contractors
• Highly commended - Shaheen Mangera, Higgins Contractors

Excellence in Construction Administration Site based:

• Category winner - Danielle Matika, Fulton Hogan
• Highly commended - Krittima Tamarat, Built Environs

Outstanding Achievement in Design:

• Category winner - Clare Dring, Fulton Hogan
• Highly commended - Isabella Franks, AECOM

Student Excellence Award:

• Category winner - Caitlin Sanford, Massey University
• Highly commended - Hayley Ngo, Auckland University

Apprentice Excellence Award:

• Category winner - Kat Ricketts, J Grae Building
• Highly commended - Teigan Jopson, University of Otago

Congratulations to you all. We are already planning our 2023 Awards for a date, yet to be announced, held in Christchurch next July.

We will be announcing when the photos are ready, thanks to AT Photo, Andrew Turner, and Masa Udagawa, for their hard work capturing some of the most amazing moments.