Chris Bell’s career in construction began with a four-year apprenticeship at local firm Malcolm McLeod, where he gained hands-on experience across residential and commercial projects. He then spent five years in Queensland working on high-rise buildings, tunnels, bridges and even boat building — an exciting chapter that broadened his skill set and experience.

Following his time in Australia, Chris joined Clelands, where he spent eight years and progressed into a foreman role. One of his first major projects was the construction of Harvey Norman in Palmerston North, before returning to New Plymouth to lead the construction of the Waterfront Hotel and Hospice Taranaki.

An opportunity with Fletcher South Pacific then took Chris to American Samoa for 12 months, where he oversaw the development of a firefighting facility for the airport. Upon returning home, he went on to lead the construction of the Valley Mega Centre for Clelands.

After completing that project, Chris decided it was time to go out on his own. What started as a small plan — a few guys and a few jobs — quickly grew beyond expectations. Almost 20 years later, Chris Bell Construction has become a well-established construction company with a team of more than 40 people.

Throughout that time, CBC has had the privilege of building some of Taranaki’s most distinctive homes and commercial buildings. For Chris, the journey has been about more than the buildings themselves. It has been about the people, the relationships and the team that has helped turn a small idea into a business he is incredibly proud of.