Sharp Glass is a third-generation local company which has always been owned by two families. It was founded by Eddie Snelson, then taken over by his son Martin and my dad Mike. And now it’s my turn.
So, you can understand why I am so committed to Christchurch, the place where I was born and bred. Apart from offering a great service, one of the things I like most about being in this business is growing it so we can create more jobs for local people.
Another big part is being a local business is giving back to the community. Sharp Glass has always been involved in charities. We donate 1% of our turnover to international charitable organisation B1G1. And on a local level, all our team is asked to pick a couple of charities so we have a charity to support for every month of the year.
On a personal level, I went to Dunedin to study at university but came back to Christchurch for my final year. Then when the earthquakes hit, I became involved in the business, only leaving again for an extended trip overseas before settling back down in Christchurch with my wife Sophie.
Then along came Luka, now 2 years old, who changed our world! So now we’re busy raising the next generation.
In the past I was a keen rugby player before turning to refereeing. I referee Canterbury Premier Division and have been part of the National Referees Squad since 2019, mainly doing Heartland Rugby. This gets me around the country to some pretty cool parts of our beautiful country.