Plumbing Prodigy is 'Young Executive' Finalist
The owner and manager of a Hokitika plumbing firm, who joined his Dad on plumbing jobs when he was only three years old, has reached the finals of the 1995 Young Executive of the Year Award.
He’s Philip Routhan of WH Shannon Ltd, who was one of eight people commissioned by the Society of Master Plumbers last year to develop a strategic plan for the industry.
Phil was named on 11 July as the Southern Regional winner of the Young Executive contest.--He now goes to the national finals in Wellington on 19 August.
The award was set up by NZIM (NZ Institute of Management ) and Management magazine and is part of a world-wide competition.--The New Zealand winner goes to Belfast in April/May next year to compete for the WORLDCOM World Young Business Achiever Award.
John Masters of Milburn New Zealand Ltd, who nominated Phil, says: “Plumbing is in his blood as he accompanied his tradesman father on plumbing jobs since the age of three.--School was later something to be got out of the way so he could become a plumber.
An examination mix-up saw him sitting his final papers several years ahead of prescription and becoming the youngest registered plumber in New Zealand at that time.
“In 1980, aged 18, he completed his Advanced Trade Certificate and, with the sublime confidence of youth, purchased the company.”
Phil Routhan of WH Shannon Lt, Hokitika, shows his certificate as Southern Regional Winner of the 1995 Young Executive of the Year Award to his nominee John Masters of Milburn New Zealand Ltd, Christchurch.
Tough Going
The going was tough in the early years and Phil took professional advice from his accountant and solicitor.--Five years ago he attended an NZIM Executive Staff course where John Masters was his syndicate leader.---John was impressed from the start because Phil was the only student he had met who had paid for the course out of his own pocket.
“He had a strong simple approach to all problem-solving issues which was based on the assumption that there was no business situation that could not be solved by hard work,” says John.
“He soaked up the experience of his fellow attendees to a degree I haven’t seen before or since.--Among his peers he was judged to be the outstanding prospect for long-term success.”
Phil’s company now operates from four South Island locations and he is also opening two more branches, at Ashburton and Te Anau.
Says John: “Phil takes great care to select only the best tradesmen and gives priority to work attitude.--He also takes great care to ensure his local people acquire all the management skills he himself did not have when he started.”
Extra Activities
Phil became part of the team to develop a strategic plan for the plumbing industry last year.--His contribution was to write a new set of criteria for membership of the Society which should be adopted at next years conference.
Last year’s Southern Regional finalist for the inaugural Young Executive of the Year Award was Canterbury’s Chris O'Reilly, chief executive of Christchurch Transport Ltd.--He went on to win the granite and gold plated bronze trophy, and a trip to London.
The winner of this year’s New Zealand finals goes on to the WORLDCOM finals in Belfast.--Winners will go 10 Downing Street, meet the British Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, and visit the House of Commons.
Judges of the Southern Region New Zealand finals were Mr Murray Wham, General Manager of Defiance Flour Mills, and Mr Peter Cosgriff, Senior Lecturer at Lincoln University.