1909, James Fletcher: Landmark builder

Sir James Fletcher, managing director of Fletcher Construction, and the University of Auckland clock tower. (NZ Herald Archive)

Builder James Fletcher is New Zealander of the Year for founding a small house-construction company which grew into Fletcher Building, one of the most successful enterprises in the country's history.

The company's first job was to build a modest house in Dunedin but it soon moved on to bigger things including landmarks such as the Auckland University Arts building with its distinctive clock tower and the Civic Theatre in Auckland.

More recently the company has worked on some of the biggest buildings in New Zealand: the Marsden Point power station, Sky City and Auckland City Hospital.

University of Auckland clock tower. (NZ Herald Archive)

Fletcher Construction founders, University of Auckland Business History Project

Fletcher Construction timeline, University of Auckland Business History Project