Mr Makara was a director of Makara Constructions with his son Tony. The family business, founded in 1971, had grown to be one of the state's top precast tilt panel contractors and supplied major firms which included McNab, Karloo Constructions and Focal Group. Rob Makara at Equinox Place, Bells Creek. Mr Makara's brother, Geoffrey, said his brother and sister-in-law had been "warm, friendly people". "We talked to each other regularly and visited each other regularly," Geoffrey said. "He's the best brother I ever had, he was always kind to me." He said his brother had suffered with some health issues for many years, "as do most senior people" and he thought his brother may have suffered a heart attack behind the wheel on Sunday.