Episode 12: Building a Life of Achievement - Bob Clarkson

Bob Clarkson is a well-known name in the City of Tauranga, New Zealand. He is affectionately known as ‘Bob the Builder’ after building so many commercial buildings over the years, he’s lost count of them.  

Born in Gisborne, Bob grew up on his family’s dairy farm and, after leaving school at 15 without any qualifications, he became a qualified fitter and turner. As a young man he then moved to Matamata in the Waikato where, amongst other things, he enjoyed importing V8 motors from the USA, and made a sufficient amount of money to enable him to start developing commercial buildings. This became Bob’s passion and a lifelong vocation. He’s still building them now, at 84 years of age. 

Bob was a member of the New Zealand Stock Car Racing team from 1968 – 1971 and won seven titles in dragster racing between 1972 and 1975. He was also selected as a standby goalkeeper for the New Zealand hockey team at the 1976 Olympics. 

In 2005, Bob ran as a candidate for the National Party in the general election and won, beating long-standing MP Winston Peters. Bob’s mission and reason for entering parliament was to bring about change in respect of affordable housing in New Zealand. A project that still eludes him to this day but one that he has not yet completely given up on.  

One of the projects he is best known for is building Bay Park Stadium in Tauranga, with his own money, for stock car racing and football. Bob was later convinced to sell the stadium to the Council, but only charged them half of the $24m he had invested in it. 

Bob was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philanthropy in the 2003 New Years Honours. 

His catch phrase is ‘Keep Smiling’ and in this candid and forthright interview, Bob discusses his Life’s Work with the same level of humour he’s applied throughout his life.  

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