We’re pleased to welcome Kirsten Hopkins as the new Regional Manager for Nelson & Marlborough. With an incredibly diverse background, Kirsten brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Born and raised in Nelson, Kirsten set out on an adventurous path at just 19, moving to Australia where she met her husband. Together, they owned and operated a service station on the Sunshine Coast, and after seven years, moved back to New Zealand to seek a better work-life balance.
With business opportunities available in Gisborne, Kirsten and her family relocated to operate a 24-hour service station, a car rental business, and a laundromat. During this busy time, Kirsten also took on the role of Advertising Manager for the Gisborne Herald and pursued a master’s degree in business.
“I’m quite good at juggling, but I’m surprised I’ve still got my natural hair colour,” she laughs.
In 2017, the Hopkins family returned to Nelson where Kirsten took on a role as a Sales Consultant for a sawmill, managing relationships and supplying framing timber to construction companies. She then transitioned to Employsure, where she worked as a Business Development Manager with responsibilities in HR and Health and Safety.
“I have a really diverse background, which is why it’s hard to sum up,” she says.
“It almost feels like everything I’ve done over the years has led to this.”
Kirsten has already hit the ground running, spending a week in Dunedin getting to know staff at head office and learning from Dunedin Regional Master Franchisees, Tony and Nicky Kramers. It was an eventful week that coincided with local floods and a state of emergency.
Her immediate priority is to connect with the region’s franchisees.
“The first step is to get to know the lay of the land and understanding the challenges franchisees are facing, what their goals are, and whether they want to grow,” she says.
With their sons now grown up, Kirsten and her husband enjoy the freedom to travel more. Kirsten’s love of travel has been a defining feature of her life. Back in 2012, she set her sights on climbing Mount Kinabalu in Borneo – a goal she achieved alone.
“It’s really important to me to have a goal to work towards, both professionally and personally,” she says.
Kirsten was attracted to the role after learning of CrestClean’s strong company culture. Since joining, she says she’s received a very warm welcome.
“I’m looking forward to being part of a company where people feel like they’re heard and looked after.”
“Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly.”
As we welcome Kirsten, we would also like to thank our outgoing Nelson Regional Master Franchisee, Barbara de Vries. Barbara has been an invaluable member of the CrestClean family, and we’re grateful for her contributions. We wish her all the best with her next chapter.
