Paul Hansen |
 Paul Hansen is widely respected in the baking world. His gentlemanly manner is supported by actual gentlemanly virtues: integrity, courtesy, and respect for others. He is someone who listens more than he speaks. These qualities, fortunately, are not rare, but somehow Paul Hansen personifies them more than most. Like many bakers, he entered the industry almost by accident. He really wanted to be a soldier or policeman. He passed the army cadetship entry exams but was too young and was told to come back in a year. He went into baking in the interim and liked it so much that, as he says “I am now in my 42nd year of this wonderful industry.”
His soft-spoken manner does not mean Paul Hansen can’t be assertive or
even aggressive if the occasion calls for it. “The body doesn’t show it
now,” says Paul, “but I loved sport and in particular team sport,
especially if it had an element of one-on-one competition. Good front
row stuff.”
He is a bit of a petrolhead too, having devoted himself for some years
to the restoration of a Ford Zodiac, spangled in heavy chrome and now
lovingly polished within an inch of its life.
Paul Hansen’s career is studded with highlights and milestones. After
his training he soon advanced into production and management roles. He
later did some more advanced studies with Crop & Food and has
worked with the NZQA as a trade exam mediator.
As well as roles in management and sales in the corporate sector, he
has worked on his own account. He owned his own bakery and restaurant
for eight years.
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