Honouring a life of generosity
When Mike Olsen sat in the Wellington Foodstuffs boardroom in 1973, some wondered what he was doing there. He was 27, the youngest board member in their history, and he had many ideas to put forward.
Mike had always been in the grocery business, working in the Four Square owned by his father Bons from a young age. He would go on to be the owner of his father’s shop and was later approached to be a founding partner of Pahiatua New World at age 25. “Many thought he wouldn’t succeed,” says Mike’s wife Margaret, “but he was determined, and his vision was to go big!” He went on to own the New World in Pahiatua in partnership for 11 years, building a successful business and then moving onto Dannevirke New World. Channelling his enterprising spirit, Mike created the opportunity to open 7 days a week, when 5 days was the norm. In 1990 he purchased Kāpiti PAK'nSAVE navigating the supermarket through a significant period of growth.
Mike was always an early adopter of new trends, his stores trialing many new inititiatives for Foodstuffs including storeroom inventory management systems and Shop'nGo; an express check out initiative. He was also one the founding team who travelled to the USA to research a new supermarket concept which would later become PAK'nSave.
A natural knack for leadership
His professional success, says Margaret, can be attributed to Mike’s leadership approach. “Mike was a natural communicator and people person. He could recognise and nurture potential in people.” Throughout his time owning supermarkets, Mike mentored hundreds of people, many of whom then went on to hold leadership positions and own their own supermarkets. It was from his own experience with the Jaycees, where he undertook several leadership courses, that he knew the transformative power mentoring could have in the lives of young people.
Mike was also passionate about the development of Kāpiti; his home for over 30 years. An ardent supporter of the Expressway and the founding Chair of the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce (now one of the most active small chambers in the country) Mike knew the impact of growing the local economy in the long-term and worked with small business owners to achieve their growth goals.
Giving back to the community
Throughout his life, Mike gave back in many ways; through encouraging conversations with staff, through mentoring, and involvement in local community initiatives. He became Chair of Nikau's Kāpiti committee soon after it was established. In this role, like all his others, Mike displayed exemplary leadership qualities, helping Nikau to develop a local footprint. "Mike was strategic," says Kāpiti committee member, Adrienne Bushell, "He knew where we needed to go, and how we were going to get there."
Mike was also committed to ensuring that youth could benefit from mentoring long into the future through the establishment of the Mike and Margaret Olsen Fund with Nikau. “Not everyone has positive role models in their life like I did,” Mike said when the fund was established in 2017. “I wanted to do something that enabled every young person to see their potential and set them on the path to becoming a future leader.” Since then, the fund has supported students from Raumati South School to undertake the William Pike Challenge.
Mike passed away in January 2022 after a short illness. His funeral was filled with people who had played a part in Mike’s rich life. Former employees spoke passionately of Mike’s influence, encouragement and leadership. It was a fitting testament to a lifetime of service to others.
