Craig Hickson, founder and owner of Progressive Meats. Photo / Warren Buckland
Craig Hickson, founder and owner of Progressive Meats. Photo / Warren Buckland
Craig Hickson's vision for New Zealand given high praise.
Craig Hickson, the founder of Progressive Meats, is the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2015, after a judging process described as one of the closest ever.
Hickson was awarded the title at Auckland's Langham hotel tonight after being selected from a field of six New Zealand categorywinners.
Hastings-based Progressive Meats was founded by Hickson with his wife, Penny, in 1981. Hickson has worked in the meat industry all his professional life and was named Agribusiness Person of the Year in 2012.
"We all talk about how tough the meat sector is and here's a guy who hopped out of a paid executive role 30 years ago and has just built a business that has been consistently profitable and consistently growing," said judge John Penno.
"He's just got things going a little bit better all the way through and kept pouring everything he's earned back into the business and grown it over time."
Judges' chairman Greg Cross said: "You don't get a more Kiwi business than the meat industry and Craig, in his two presentations to the judges, demonstrated a level of entrepreneurship and innovation in the most traditional of industries which is quite exceptional."
Judge Bridget Coates described Hickson as a "typical, understated Kiwi guy". "He has a huge vision for New Zealand, how it could be better, faster growing and more valuable than it is," Coates said.
Cross retires from the judging panel after this year and said over his time with the awards, the growing global focus of New Zealand businesses had been the biggest change he had seen.
Hickson will represent New Zealand at EY's World Entrepreneur of the Year event in Monaco in June, competing for the title with winners from more than 60 countries The ASB Social Entrepreneur of the Year for 2015 was Annah Stretton - a highly successful fashion designer, entrepreneur, writer, women's advocate and philanthropist.
Stretton was recognised for her work with RAW (Reclaim Another Woman) - an initiative which matches mentors with women who have been victims of domestic violence - and for other charitable work through the Stretton Foundation.
Craig Hickson will represent New Zealand at EY's World Entrepreneur of the Year event in Monaco in June. Photo / iStock
Category winners
Craig Hickson (Progressive Meats): Products John Wikstrom (Magic Memories): Services Hamish Kennedy (Compac): Technology & emerging industries Chris Heaslip & Eliot Crowther (Pushpay): Young Wayne Wright (BestStart): Master
