Who We Are
Our Historical Timeline
Pre-1952 – 1971
The Early Foundations
The Pioneer: The firm's legacy began before 1952, when Robert (Bob) Leese established the original engineering practice. Bob spent his early career working with the Whangārei Borough Council, acting as a key engineering consultant to the local council before transitioning to set up his private consultancy.
The Next Generation Begins: During this formative era, a local draughter named Roger Richardson was training toward his NZCE. Roger achieved his engineering qualifications in 1966 and went on to pass the highly rigorous MIStructE (Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers) assessment in 1969.
1972 – 1987
The Leese & Richardson Era
1972 – Partnering Up: Bob Leese was joined by Roger Richardson, formally establishing the iconic local partnership Leese and Richardson. The team set up their primary operations in the landmark CML Building on Vine Street.
1985 – A New Era of Talent: Grant Stevens, who began his engineering career at E.T. Smith McNaught & Co. working under Peter McNaught, joined Leese and Richardson.
1986 – Bob Retires: Founder Bob Leese officially retired after decades of foundational civic service, and the firm evolved to become Richardson Stevens Consultants.
1988 – 1999
Moving to Seaview Road & Expanding the Ranks
1988 – A New Headquarters: To accommodate a steadily expanding team, the firm moved from Vine Street to 2 Seaview Road, Whangārei. Over the next three decades, this site underwent multiple building extensions to handle the company's growth.
1996 – Leadership Shifts: Roger Richardson relocated to Christchurch, and structural engineer Tim Pike joined Grant Stevens.
1999 – Local Government Insights: Steve Turner joined the firm as a Consulting Engineer, bringing valuable local insight from his previous position as Civil Engineer at the Whangārei District Council (WDC).
The Rise of Graduate Talent: Rachel Wright joined the company as a graduate engineer, and Max Haag joined as an engineering technician training toward his NZCE. The team steadily grew to over 25 specialists.
2004 – 2007
Growth & Development
2004 – Tim Retires: Tim Pike officially retired from the partnership, passing the torch to the remaining directors and relocating to the Hawkes Bay.
2007 – Cultivating Cadets: Matthew Jacobson joined the firm as an Engineering Cadet, beginning his journey toward his NZCE.
2015 – 2019
Modern Evolution of RS Eng
2015 – New Directors: Homegrown talents Rachel Wright and Max Haag stepped up to join Steve Turner and Grant Stevens as company Directors.
2017 – Becoming RS Eng Ltd: The company officially rebranded to RS Eng Ltd, streamlining the name for the future while proudly preserving the founding "Richardson Stevens" initials.
2017 & 2019: Grant Stevens retired at the end of 2017, followed by Max Haag at the end of 2019.
2021 – 2025
A New Generation Leads Forward
2021 – A Legacy Completed: Matthew Jacobson joined Steve and Rachel as a Director of RS Eng, marking 13 years of continuous internal training with the firm and achieving both his NZCE and Bachelor of Engineering BE(Hons)(Civil).
2022 – Steve Retires: Long-serving Director Steve Turner officially retired, passing the leadership torch forward to Rachel and Matthew.
2022 – Regional Commitment: RS Eng established a second office in Mangawhai, strengthening its long-term presence across Northland.
2025 – Mangawhai Relocation: The Mangawhai office relocated to 5 Insley Street, extending services throughout North Auckland, Rodney, Orewa, and Helensville.