Lauren Sherwin, the dynamic force behind Pro-Tect (AUCK) Ltd., proudly marks two decades of excellence in the Traffic Management industry.

In September 2003, Lauren, guided by her father Russell, embarked on the journey of establishing a Traffic Management company. Her inaugural day was a lesson in adaptability, as she donned her father's boots, realizing too late that steel caps were essential.

Stepping into a male-dominated industry without prior experience was just one of the many challenges Lauren confronted in her career.

Now, after two decades, Lauren and Pro-Tect stand tall as trusted leaders in the Traffic Management field. Lauren is also among the select few Waka Kotahi qualified trainers in this domain, a testament to her expertise.

Among her numerous achievements, perhaps the most cherished is her role as a proud mother of two boys. Along with the traffic industry, Lauren finds equally challenging and just as rewarding, her 11-acre property in Te Kauwhata, where sheep, cows, Kune Kune pigs, chickens, and her loyal pug, Kev, keep her days busy.

In this industry predominantly steered by men, Lauren's path as a female owner wasn't always smooth. However, each hurdle only fortified her resolve. With two decades of navigating a diverse team, there are few situations she hasn't adeptly managed, though some tales are best kept off these pages.

One of the more public and widespread issues to deal with was the country all but having to shut down during the pandemic. Luckily, we were needed to keep a local essential service safe during this time so became essential ourselves, therefore we could continue working to help the community through out those hard to navigate times.

At the heart of Pro-Tect Traffic stands a seasoned management team, featuring some of the country's foremost TMP Designers, Mentors, and Trainers, supported by a dedicated crew of nearly 30 individuals forging ahead together.

When asked about the secret behind Pro-Tect (AUCK) Ltd.'s enduring reputation in the TTM industry, Lauren's response is unwavering: "Never dismissing a task as too small! Many longtime clients have become cherished friends, whom I've had the privilege of serving since the early days, and I'm committed to looking after them."

Lauren holds firm to her commitment to uphold high standards, service, and professionalism, whether it's in her team, equipment, or vehicles. She invests time, effort, and resources into honing her staff's skills whenever and wherever possible.

True to her ethos of progress and leadership, Lauren was among the first in the country to step up and become a qualified Trainer and Assessor when Waka Kotahi introduced a new approach to TTM education. This paved the way for the establishment of Pro-Tect Training, enabling Lauren to train and assess her own team as well as employees from other firms.

And just when one might assume that would suffice to keep anyone occupied, there's Pro-Tect ME! This charitable arm, conceived by Lauren, is a channel for giving back to the community. Pro-Tect ME has supplied sports teams with drink bottles, outfitted numerous preschools and schools with hi-vis vests for the young ones and wet-weather jackets for the staff—most notably for the school's road patrol teams. Recently, a local school was fortunate to have their AIMS netball team decked out in warm-up shirts and complete tracksuits!

Exciting ventures are on the horizon for Pro-Tect Traffic and its training division. We eagerly anticipate the next 20 years of Lauren's remarkable journey in business!