Midway through his Leaving Certificate examinations, Colm Hamrogue was the victim of a hit-and-run incident which would forever change his career path.
The long-time RNLI volunteer and Bundoran native had grown up with a passion for water and was hoping to study nautical science at college.
“I spent several months in hospital with a broken back, and 12 months in plaster. I repeated my Leaving Certificate the following year, but couldn’t pass the medical for the nautical science course due to my injuries.
“I was in a bad place and I remember my mother said to me: ‘In 10 years’ time, you can look back on all this and feel sorry for yourself or you can get on with your life and do something.’ That changed my outlook.”
Hamrogue ultimately went to Sligo IT where he did a degree in business, and became involved in the students' union, of which he was elected president for two terms. In 2006, he was elected president of the Union of Students in Ireland.
“While at USI, I launched a road safety campaign. It was an important issue for me considering my personal experience. Through that campaign, I got to know World Rally Team Ireland and they asked me to come work for them.”
In 2008 he was poached by Gulf Oil to head up their marketing and communications department, where he worked for four years before joining New Zealand-based co-operative CRT.
"I met the chief executive of CRT at an oil meeting in the Netherlands when I was working for Gulf Oil. They had taken on the rights to distribute Gulf Oil in New Zealand. I went out there to help them set up and they offered me the position as COO [chief operating officer ]."
“Be it USI, the RNLI, Rally Ireland or Gulf Oil, it all comes down to one thing – people. People buy people, and that’s how I’ve got each job.”
In January 2012, he moved to Christchurch, New Zealand, to take up the position of chief operating officer with CRT, a South Island-based rural supplies and services co-operative.
Following a merger with Farmlands Co-operative (a North Island based co-operative), Hamrogue was appointed to the position of chief operating officer for the newly formed Farmlands Co-operative Society – New Zealand's largest national rural supplies and services co-operative.
“I was involved in getting the merger together. Turnover at CRT was $1.3 billion. Now the combined business has a turnover of $2.4 billion. We have forecast $38 million in savings and benefits for the first three years of the merger.”
The co-operative has four main business areas: farm supplies; fuel and oil distribution; charge card operations; and rural services (livestock, real estate and finance).
“The interesting thing about my job is that there is so much to do. We have 1,400 employees and 56,000 farmer shareholders. Six divisions report to me. My job is to provide leadership and troubleshoot. “The company is all about helping the farmer shareholders be more profitable in their businesses. Revenue and profit for us is a byproduct of that. We stay customer focussed.”
Hamrogue says he was surprised by the huge footprint Irish companies have in New Zealand.
"Keenans feed mixers are everywhere here. McHale Balers are too. We are starting to work with Kingspan at Farmlands. New Zealand and Ireland are extremely similar markets and there are lots of opportunities for Irish people here."
While the hit-and-run incident left him with a broken back and prevented him from getting his desired college course, the 32-year-old says he has no regrets.
"I had three of my Leaving Certificate exams done when I was hit by the car. Everything was taken from me but it is the best thing that ever happened, as I wouldn't be where I am now. I grew up knowing if I don't go out there and make something of myself , I have nothing. My dad had a haulage company and my uncle was the ceo of Virgin Express airlines, so I grew up with an entrepreneurial background.
“Everything you do in life, you need to take something out of it. Student unions struggle for relevance all the time. You’re never going to be able to help everyone. At the same time, involvement in student unions means you are working with government ministers, local politicians, the civil service etc from a very young age, and you learn a lot.”
