Farewell, John McCafferty
After 5 decades in the construction industry, we recently celebrated John McCafferty as he stepped back from his day-to-day role with Paynters.
John joined Paynters in January 1998 as a Design & Development Manager, bringing with him an already extensive career across architecture, planning, project management and construction. With architecture in the family, the built environment was perhaps always going to play a part in John’s story. He studied a Bachelor of Applied Science and Graduate Diploma in Architecture at QIT, before later completing a Graduate Diploma and Masters in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Queensland, all while raising a young family.
His career took him from architectural practice into government and project management, including involvement as site development architect for Expo 88, before moving into development and construction management. Eventually, a phone call from a recruitment consultant led to a new opportunity at Paynters and the beginning of almost three decades with the business.
Since joining Paynters, John has played a defining role in our growth, building trusted relationships and helping shape our work across many sectors. His contribution has been particularly significant within Aged Care and Retirement Living, where his passion, advocacy and commitment to improving outcomes for older Australians have helped establish Paynters as a respected leader in the industry.
John leaves an incredible legacy, not only through the projects he has helped deliver, but through the people, partnerships and relationships he has built along the way. Many of the clients, colleagues and industry connections John has worked with throughout his career have become long-standing partnerships and, in many cases, friendships.
To mark the occasion, we celebrated in the office with John’s family and the Paynters team over a few of his favourites – wine, cheese and good company. More recently, we also welcomed many of John’s long-standing clients, colleagues and industry connections to Stanton Bar for an evening of wine, canapés and plenty of catch-ups.
While John has stepped away from the day-to-day, he won’t be disappearing entirely, continuing his involvement with Paynters as a member of the Board.
As he looks forward to a little more family time, travel and perhaps even some Italian lessons, we sat down with John to reflect on 50 years in the industry, almost three decades with Paynters, the people and lessons that have shaped his career, and what comes next.
- You’ve spent 50 years in construction, what has kept you passionate about the industry for so long?
It’s an industry where you get to design and build something tangible and physically see the positive impact of what you’ve created and that’s been really satisfying for me. There’s enormous variety. Every project brings a different challenge and requires you to think about the future, solve problems and work with good people. At the end of it, you can actually stand back and see what you’ve accomplished.
It’s challenging, but that’s also what makes it so rewarding.
- You joined Paynters back in 1998. Looking back, how has the business evolved and what are you most proud to have been part of?
When I joined Paynters in January 1998 as Design & Development Manager, we were working on a handful of clubs and industrial projects, with a real opportunity to diversify.
Since then, the growth has been significant, not only in the size of the business, but geographically and in the diversity and complexity of the projects we deliver. Seeing that evolution and being part of it is something I’m incredibly proud of.
There have been so many memorable projects along the way, from surf clubs and hospitality projects to aged care facilities, and every project has had its own rewards. The health, aged care and retirement living projects have been particularly meaningful. We’ve seen enormous change in the way these environments are designed and delivered, and there’s a real sense of purpose in knowing the work you’re doing can improve someone’s quality of life. I’m also proud of the relationships we’ve built with our clients. Those long-term partnerships have been a big part of Paynters’ success.
Through all that growth, one thing that has remained important is our ability to bring design and construction together. We take the time to understand our clients, their business and what they’re actually trying to achieve and then work with them to find the right solution.
- Your career became closely aligned with aged care and retirement living. What drew you to the sector, and why has it become so important to you?
We identified that there was a need for a project delivery team who genuinely understood the sector, not just how to construct a facility, but how the industry operates and what residents, operators and their families need from these environments.
There was a growth opportunity for Paynters, but it was also an opportunity to use our design and construction knowledge to make a meaningful difference. Understanding why we are designing these facilities and who we are designing them for has always been important to me. It’s about much more than the building itself.
What will you miss most about working?
The people, without question! I’ll also miss the challenge. There’s something very rewarding about being presented with a design or development problem, working through it with a team and eventually seeing the result come to life.
It’s the combination of the people, the challenge and the sense of achievement that has kept me interested for so long.
- You’ve worked with and mentored a lot of people throughout your career. What do you hope you’ve passed on to the next generation?
The importance of building trust and taking the time to understand people. We design and build for a reason. Before jumping to a solution, you need to understand the client, understand their business and understand the problem they are actually trying to solve. We need to understand the problem to provide the right solution.
I also hope people recognise how dependent we are on one another. Construction is a team environment and the best results come when everyone works together towards the same purpose.
Work should also be something you enjoy. We all find purpose in different things, but longevity comes from finding something that challenges you, gives you purpose and allows you to enjoy the people around you.
- There must be a few memorable Paynters moments after almost three decades. Any favourites?
There have been plenty! We’ve always managed to have a lot of fun along the way. The Christmas parties have certainly provided some good memories, as have the aged care conferences and a trip to the UK for a seniors living conference.
Then there are the moments you don’t plan for — like attending a regional meeting in Goondiwindi and running out of petrol on the highway on the way home with Erica. It’s those experiences and the people you share them with that you tend to remember.
- So, what does retirement look like for John McCafferty?
There are plenty of personal projects waiting for me. I’m looking forward to spending more time with the grandchildren, travelling and learning Italian. We’re off to Italy very soon! I have been involved in masters rowing – I’ll keep rowing, keep busy and hopefully enjoy having a little more time to do the things that are difficult to fit around a working week. Paynters has been a very good company to be part of, I will miss it but I am excited to stay on the board.
- One last question — and we’re going a little off-script with this one. What’s your secret to a long and happy relationship having been with Sue over 50 years, having 3 kids and 7 grandchildren?
Love, mutual respect and supporting each other. It’s important to have things you enjoy doing together, but also to have your own interests and give each other the space to pursue them.
A good marriage is a partnership. I’ve been very lucky, but like most things in life, it’s what you make of it. There are always two sides to the coin, and you have to keep choosing to work together.
