Robert McCormack AREINZ, FNZIM, FREINZ, LMREINZ, Hall of

You don’t spend 39 years in real estate without learning a few things, so it’s fair to say there’s not much about the industry that Rob McCormack doesn’t know, or hasn’t seen before.

And one of the most important of lessons, he believes, is that real estate is not so much about property, it’s more about people.

It was Rob’s sincere, on-going interest in people that first lead him to a real estate career in 1979 and it’s his ability to forge genuine connections with them that helped him become, firstly, one of the most successful sales consultants in New Zealand and then franchise owners in New Zealand, not just in Harcourts, but in the country.

As well as that wealth of knowledge, Rob, who was inducted into Harcourts Hall of Fame in 2004, named a fellow of The New Zealand Institute of Management in 2005, and fellow of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand in 2018, is known for the boundless energy and enthusiasm which he brings to the business – as well as to his fishing trips or enjoying a few beers with his mates. Rob has two Schnauzers and a dedicated wife of 47 years.

He set up Harcourts Grenadier in 1991, and has seen it rate consistently at number one in its group for Harcourts in New Zealand before rising to be the number two franchise and number one office world wide by 2015.

These days Grenadier has grown to eight offices and a team of over 200, but Rob’s level of availability, commitment and passion is the same as it was in 1979. He’s at work every day by 6.30am leading by example when it comes to the importance of goal setting, persistence, connection with clients, and committing to excellence in business practices.

Totally invested in his community and ‘giving back’, in 2003 Rob set up the Clyde Huntley *First Class Charitable Trust* for an agent who developed a life-threatening brain tumour and the Trust was funded by Grenadier and Grenadier agents who agreed to have monies deducted from their unconditional contracts.

He is the founding member of the Real Estate Cadetship programme which began in 2006 which has achieved 42 graduates. In more recent years, Grenadier founded another graduate intake scheme which offers individuals a salary for 6 months to allow them financial security while they learn about the real estate industry with the comfort of an income, breaking down the barriers to those who want to join the industry. This scheme has inducted over 40 graduates from five intakes over three years.

Mr McCormack has had a long-time involvement in the ‘Harcourts Foundation’ which has seen the Harcourts Grenadier offices donate more than $100,000 to local charities. He is also a strong supporter of the Grenadier Charity Golf Day, which since it began in 2009 has raised over $250,000 for Canterbury charities who work with troubled youth.

Grenadier is currently in negotiations to fund the Residential Care Wing at the new Akaroa Hub, and are working with the Chair of Fundraising Appeal of the Akaroa Hub Trust, Paul da Latour.

Success for Rob is seeing his people grow and find their own success; and seeing them develop their own commitment to providing the best levels of service, and the best possible outcomes for their clients as they buy and sell their homes.