Italian-Kiwi Vince worked as a civil engineer from 1990 to 2000 before developing his IT company, Cocurullo’s Ltd, which still operates today. In 2005 Vince became very ill with what turned out to be mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings in his teeth. As a result of this, he experienced a very personal reality check that became the catalyst for his decision to enter local government and help make Whangārei District a better place to live and work.