John Geraghty was born in Pukekohe in 1945 and in 1950 his family bought a farm in Waipu. At 16 years of age, John moved to bigger pastures in Auckland to assemble lawnmowers.

With some experience under his belt,  John moved to New Plymouth in 1963, where he worked for Lou Stonnell; driving tractors, spreading fertiliser, haymaking, and undertaking other farm tasks. One evening over a beer, John and Malcolm Campbell decided business ownership was a good idea – the rest, they say is history.

 Purchasing Farmers Bulk Topdressers (FBT) in 1966, John and Malcolm formed a partnership that lasted more than 55 years. The company experience tremendous growth over the next 40 years, initially a fertiliser spreading company it diversified through various acquisitions and new ventures. John was always looking for ways to innovate, to streamline processes and drive efficiency, so in 1980 FBT purchased the first customised transport computing system in New Plymouth.

 In 1972, John was President of the Western Central region of the New Zealand Road Transport Association (NZRTA) and in 1980 became a National Councillor for the NZRTA, serving several terms on various committees. He served two terms as president, and eventually went on to become the Chairman of the Roading and Technical Committee. He was involved for many years with the Taranaki Association. When John was elected to NZRTA there where 20 people around the table and it was very much an old boys’ network. He was part of a group that was instrumental in the restructure of the association which resulted in the formation of Regional Associations, and which saw the board reduce from 20 directors to seven. From this, today we now have the New Zealand Road Transport Forum (NZRTF).

In his role as chair of the Roading and Technical Committee John helped lobby to lift vehicle truck and trailer weights from 39 to 44 tonnes in the mid 80’s. A staunch advocate of road safety and heavy vehicle safety, he spent a great deal of time advocating for the standardization of various safety features, many we see in trucks and trailers today.

 John’s achievements have been acknowledged in different ways by groups, including winning the coveted Europa Management Scholarship in 1984. In recognition for his service to the road  transport industry, he was awarded a Life Membership to the NZRTF in 2001. In his spare time, John served on the Taranaki Rugby Union Board for 18 years as an independent director and was awarded a life membership for his service in 2013.

 In 2001, 2002 and 2003 FBT’s success was recognized through the Westpac Business Awards. These awards are testament to John’s lifetime of dedication and commitment to his business and the wider industry. A gifted communicator, preferring a face-to-face conversation and always hopeful of coming away with a solution – John would meet with regulators, police, the New Zealand Transport Authority and councils when there was concern. He was not a fan of resolving maters via email.

John is a mentor to many, and his advocacy continues to this day – his modesty and passion to fight for fair deals for truckers makes him one of the best networkers in the industry. 

Even though John has handed over the company reigns to his son David, he keeps a close eye on things. As he moves into a well-deserved retirement phase, he and Sue can finally enjoy time with family, friends, and indulge in their hobbies. The possibility of John embarking on a new project is never far away however, as he is always looking for new opportunities and ways to keep busy.