The HIANZ Board was notified of the sad passing of HIANZ life member and founder of McEntee Hire, Bill McEntee. Bill sadly passed away on Wednesday, 31 December 2025, aged 71.

Bill was highly respected throughout the New Zealand Hire industry having founded McEntee Hire with his wife Diane in 1986, with branches throughout the North Island and served on the HIANZ Board for many years as well as a term as President and a lifetime member of HIANZ.

However, Bill started his career in education where he taught as a Primary School teacher, but soon realised his passion was in entrepreneurial endeavours and left the classroom to start McEntee Hire.

Outside of McEntee Hire Bill was an active supporter of Counties Manukau Rugby League with a role on the Board where he held the role as President. He was a proud Papakura Sea Eagles Rugby League supporter and was President and Chairman of the club as well. He also served on the NZRFL board and was proudly made a life member a few years back. A true community stalwart & widely respected individual that would openly share his knowledge and was a natural mentor to many.

In late 2012, Bill sold McEntee Hire to Kennards Hire, and that was the launch of Kennards Hire New Zealand. Many of the Kennards Hire New Zealand team that are working today in the industry, started with Bill McEntee and he was immensely proud of the individual achievements those people have realised in their own careers.

Tom Kimber who worked with Bill for close to 20 years, remembers Bill with great fondness. “Bill was one of those larger than life figures he shone with unbridled confidence and gave you a sense of self-belief that anything was achievable. I always admired his unwavering loyalty to his family and friends; he worked hard at making sure he had the correct work/life balance before that was a thing, and I always looked up to him for that commitment. He was a no-nonsense fast thinking businessman & he had a profound influence on my career and many more that still work in the greater industry to this day. I will always look back with joy on our long discussions into the night on some of our work trips that may have started with a beer but surely ended with a red wine and many laughs!”

Bill will be missed, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. We thank Bill for his contribution to help shape the industry we have today.

Rest in peace Bill.