To say you need a timeline to plot the journey of John Shanahan’s life is an understatement – he has not been a home body in any way, shape or form – however being part of a tight knit whānau has made his mark on how he approaches life and the core values he holds dear.
One of six children, John, the youngest, grew up in Wainuiomata. Dad was the primary cook of the whānau as his mother at 45 retrained from being a nurse to becoming a primary school teacher – a decision that John looks back at now with inspiration. John’s presence in the Quayside office has really stepped up the level of fitness which he says was something instilled in him by his father and mother – both fit and active throughout their lives.
Gaining a Degree in Civil Engineering at Canterbury University, his first job had him based in Tauranga where his love of the water continued, later completing his first ironman in 2019. Back in Wellington for a couple of years, he worked on an interchange project until at 26, he headed north, making the UK his home working on the East London Line and part of the London Olympics precinct in amongst travelling around Europe and seeing the world.
He was enticed over to the Pacific Islands over the next few years working on large civil construction projects such as wharves, roads, bridges, and a gas pipeline. This included multi-year stints in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Tonga which is where he met his wife, Tonia. It was during this time he changed from working ‘amongst the tools’ to more strategic and economic areas of these large scale projects – offering him the variety in his career he was seeking.
Throughout his time in the Islands, John’s core values were not only strengthened but also played a part in how he interacted with the local communities – both he and Tonia played a part in furthering the outlook for some of those communities where they could and that remains a kaupapa that they will share and instil in their two young children.
John finally put his passport in the drawer early 2023. Timing for Quayside was spot on with the need to bolster the ranks in the Rangiuru Business Park team with the role of Project Manager. The opportunity to secure such an experienced operator was, we know, a coup for Quayside – not only does he have the depth and breadth to navigate his way around these types of developments; he fits really nicely into our crew.
Keen to deepen their roots in the community of Tauranga, John and Tonia are loving life near the beach and looking forward to settling down with their young family. Whilst international travel to remote spots of the globe may be off the table for now, somehow the speed and variety of life as John does it, will continue at a pace.
