Donald Alexander biked to work on Wednesday, as he did on his first day at Alexander Joinery 50 years ago. Photo / Warren Buckland
Donald Alexander biked to work on Wednesday, as he did on his first day at Alexander Joinery 50 years ago. Photo / Warren Buckland
Donald Alexander set out on his bicycle for his first day as an apprentice joiner at construction company RG & C Alexander Ltd in Onekawa on January 13, 1971.
On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, the 68-year-old biked to the same shed on Dunlop St for another dayat work as a joiner.
"It's been an incredible journey," Alexander said of his 50 years at the firm, which was owned by a different Alexander family at the time.
He said he is still enjoying the work, which he now does part-time.
"Hopefully my health stands up. I'm just appreciating being alive."
Alexander said the joinery business has changed massively since he first started work in 1971. Photo / Warren Buckland
In 2018, at the age 65 and with no plans to retire, Alexander had cancer treatment and major surgery in Palmerston North for oesophageal cancer.
Complications left him critically ill and in hospital (mostly ICU) for three months. He survived against the odds, and after a slow rehabilitation, he returned to work as soon as he could later that year.
In June 2020, Alexander had a major heart surgery in Wellington. His odds weren't great to survive this aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass surgery, but again, against the odds he did. He returned to work as soon as he could.
Alexander said he enjoys having the opportunity to pass on some of the experience he has built up over the years working on joinery for many Hawke's Bay buildings like hospitals, schools and banks.
"There's plenty of experience that I can't pass on because it's changed so much," he said, noting how much joinery has evolved with computers becoming involved.
"Back in the day, all joinery was built out of solid timber, you know, a tree.
"Nowadays there's hardly any solid timber, it's all fibreboard, stuff that you cut up together with a special saw and nail together with a handtool."
Donald Alexander still enjoys working part-time as a joiner, passing his experience on to the next generation. Photo / Warren Buckland
Alexander rose through the ranks after his apprenticeship to become foreman of the joinery part of RG & C Alexander Ltd.
"You eventually get to the stage of knowing more about joinery than what the boss knew. He couldn't pay me enough so he decided he'd rather get the money from me renting," he said.
Donald became the owner and director of Donald Alexander Joinery in 1984, before it became known as Alexander Joinery and came back under the Alexander Construction (formerly RG & C Alexander Ltd) umbrella.
Alexander said he has stuck with them all these years because of their values, and the loyalty they have showed him in return.
