Andrew Lawson - the last 40 years

Occupation/s? Tell us what you have been doing

After leaving school in year 10 I obtained an apprenticeship as a diesel fitter at Blackwood Hodge in Devonport . I completed my apprenticeship and worked in PNG with the same company for a further year prior to returning to Tasmania where I worked in the mining industry. 

I then found an opportunity to start my own business centred around specialised cargo handling equipment in Burnie . The business AJL has expanded over the years from the initial stages where it was myself and a ute until today where we operate from six sites in Tasmania and three in Victoria employing around 90 staff. AJL is still heavily focussed on heavy machinery however we now are involved in Training throughout the state and we also have a retail presence in our new head office in Burnie that was constructed in 2014. 

The story is a long one however as far as the class of 1977 is concerned I have kept in contact and worked with some classmates as in Craig Faulkner , Garry Plapp and more recently Ricky Gaffney also family as in Rob Lehman ( brother in law ). Interestingly AJL has been the beneficiary of two other class of 77 professionals being AJL's long time accountant and since equity holder John Saltmarsh who is the CFO and works full time in the business and more recently Phil Duthoit who came to AJL in a business development training role and since been appointed as the Group General Manager.

What would you tell your 1977 self if you could send them a message now?

Seek opportunity and never underestimate your value and capability.

What would you like to share about the last 40 years?

In 1986 I married my wife Jacki Lehman, Rob’s sister and since then have had three children, Aaron 27 Brooke 25, and Karlie 20. Apart from work a large part of the 40 years has been spent raising the kids and watching them progress on their own journeys and careers. 

They still enjoy travelling and as a family we would travel both locally and overseas either with them or to visit them. Aaron and Brooke now live interstate and Karlie is at home with us at Ulverstone. 

As a family we spent many of the early years ( I think about 12 )at Lake Barrington water skiing. My passion for motor sport kept me in the workshop quite often and I spent quite a few years motor racing locally starting from gravel rallying and then on to bitumen events circuit and Targa etc. More recently Jacki found golf and I too have spent time at the Ulverstone golf club and many other spectacular courses again both in Australia and overseas.

What are you proudest of about your life? What have been your greatest achievements?

I think the purchase of the Braddon Street riverside property in Ulverstone was a highlight for me as it gave our kids a great place to grow up and enjoy what the house and surroundings had to offer. Having a close family is also important with Jacki and I looking forward to helping our children on their next stage in life with their own houses and families wherever they may be. 

I guess that the construction of the new AJL head office in Burnie would also have to rate highly as again it gives our local employees a facility to work from that is both contemporary and purpose built.

Any regrets?

Keeping the work/life balance in check is important as like others, sometimes sacrifices have to be made, but as time goes on I hope a pay back time is coming for the family (not that they really complained).

Janine Goold - the last 40 years

Occupation/s? Tell us what you have been doing

Accountant

What would you tell your 1977 self if you could send them a message now?

The coming days, weeks, months and years are going to fly, so live in each day.

What would you like to share about the last 40 years?

I completed a Business Uni degree and worked in a number of accounting positions in Tassie before moving to the Sunshine Coast in January 2003. 

Then I was employed in an accounting practice in Caloundra and became a partner of the practice the following year. This business partnership has been a very special one, that I have been blessed to be part of until I sold my share to my partner a few months ago due to my health. 

I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease two years ago and this has had an impact on my mental capacity, including levels of anxiety dealing with people and my cognitive ability with memory etc, so I am now "retired" and on Salary Continuance Insurance. 

I have been married to Rod Jones for over 16 years (after having 3 children to two previous marriages), and life couldn't be better! Rod is a candidate for One Nation in the next Qld election, so we will see what life brings for us in 2018.

What are you proudest of about your life? What have been your greatest achievements?

My three children... Nathan is in the Air Force, Brianna has a beautiful son Seth who brings me such joy, and Caitlin is studying nursing at uni. A great achievement to get them through some really tough family times growing up, and seeing them all now happily married. 

Also completing my degree, with my sister committing suicide during this time...the degree has provided me with much stability in my life whenever I was faced with a difficult time. That and my relationship with God have been my rock.

Any regrets?

no... it has been my life's experiences that have made me who I am today, able to appreciate each day, and the great pleasure we can get from the so called "little things".

Debbie Scott (Britton) the last 40 years

Occupation/s? Tell us what you have been doing

I worked as a shop assistant, waitress, sale consultant for Barbalee, a sales consultant and Manager for Tupperware and still a consultant, teacher assistant and still hold this position.

What would you tell your 1977 self if you could send them a message now?

Everyone is an equal so stop being so hard on yourself.

What would you like to share about the last 40 years?

I have been married to my lovely husband, Stephen for 34 years and we have 3 lovely children. Renae, Nathan and Tameika who are all Married and given us 7 grandchildren. Nash, Mani, Kaia, Hezekiah, Emiyah,Hudson and Flynn. These little people are so precious. Family, friends and sport have been a big part of my life and love it. Love camping and have had many great holidays in tents and now a caravan.

What are you proudest of about your life? What have been your greatest achievements?

My family and life memberships

Any regrets?

No

Grant O'Brien - the last 40 years

Occupation/s? Tell us what you have been doing

I’m finally taking a gap year…. 2017 is my gap year

What would you tell your 1977 self if you could send them a message now?

Don’t be afraid to open lots of doors in order to find your passion/your calling, the thing that you want to invest “yourself" into may not be behind the first couple of doors you open. Don’t be afraid to try and to fail, it will help bring great clarity to the task.

What would you like to share about the last 40 years?

On leaving Ulverstone High I took on an Electrical Apprenticeship with a family business in Burnie……it was a terrific opportunity that I was very grateful for, but it became clear to me that it wasn’t something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

The end of my apprenticeship coincided with an opportunity to play footy in Melbourne and then Adelaide and Canberra… this allowed me to see some more of our country, and study part-time for a Business degree (Mr Langerack would have been proud!!) with the intention of learning how businesses worked. 

I met my wife Mary while I was in Canberra where she was attending Uni, we then moved to Hobart as I was recruited to play football with Clarence and got married in 1987. That year was also the point at which I joined the Woolworths Group as an Accountant with the Purity Supermarkets business. 

That was the “door" I had been looking for, I was fascinated by the world of retail, I had found my calling, in fact it kept my attention for the next 29 years ... despite being with the one employer for all that time I enjoyed many different “careers/occupations” …  roles in marketing and Commercial whilst in Tasmania and then a move to Sydney in 1999 to take on marketing, operations, business development roles before serving as CEO for the Woolworths Group for the last 5 years of my time there. I was grateful to be afforded so many experiences and challenges during my time at Woolies …. it was a hectic 29 years and concluded with my retirement in August 2016 and a new plan to take a gap year in 2017 to reset myself and get ready for the next phase of my life. 

Mary and I are lucky enough to have three great kids, all proud Tasmanians but in truth they have spent virtually their entire lives in Sydney. We’ve been using 2017 to travel, spend time together as a family and play a bit of catch up on time and opportunities lost as the kids were growing up. 

We’ve also been sharpening our plans for 2018 and beyond…. what I am clear on is the theme of our new plan and that is “giving back”. I’m kept busy currently on two "Not for Profit" Boards, one tackling Pancreatic Cancer (the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation)… and the other a program helping young Indigenous girls complete their schooling (The Stars Foundation)… these are incredibly rewarding and are areas where real change is needed.

What are you proudest of about your life? What have been your greatest achievements?

I would like to change this question to... what I am most grateful for….. I am grateful to my fantastic wife Mary and our three kids Samantha, Nick and Em for their love and support … the career demands meant that I was pretty selfish with the time that the job took, they never blinked….. we just celebrated the time we had together. 

Likewise I am grateful to my parents and 6 siblings for the loving and supportive environment we had growing up in Penguin, it was just the best place to grow up. More than anything I am grateful that my family and I have our health, happiness and sense of humour, that's the most important thing….. the rest is a distant second

Any regrets?

None……looking forward to all that the next chapter throws up……..

Craig Faulkner - the last 40 years

Occupation/s? Tell us what you have been doing

After leaving UHS, it was Don College then a couple of failed attempts at Uni!

First job was as a clerk/tyre fitter with Beaurepaires in Ulverstone then clerical roles with the Ulverstone Council. 

Travel to the UK and Europe followed with Robbie Lehman, then selling real estate for a short time back in Ulverstone. 

Clerical/Office Manager roles at Edgells followed where I started an external Accounting degree which was finally finished in 1990 when I was working for the Port of Devonport, from there to the Port of Launceston where I was CEO for 7 years up to 2003. 

Then to Victoria in senior management roles with Adsteam Marine & SVITZER (Tug Boats), Australian Amalgamated Terminals (Vehicle Terminal Operator around Australian Ports) and since November last year Director of Commercial with the Retail Food Group – a role I landed in through an old Ulverstone mate of mine Gary Alford.

What would you tell your 1977 self if you could send them a message now?

Always pursue your dream and don’t give up!

What would you like to share about the last 40 years?

Luckily I have had the opportunity to meet many and varied people over the journey, as well as keeping in touch with some old High School buddies including Robbie Lehman, we married sisters (both of us since separated), Chris Bush, Paul Banks and Andrew Lawson. Also I have had the opportunity to travel overseas extensively both for work and pleasure, which I love. I have shared the responsibility of raising two sons, Seb (unfortunately he passed away 5 years ago) and David who is now 20 and lives with my partner Gina and I in Melbourne while attending Uni studying music. Some local footy, cricket and squash while in Ulverstone kept the weight off (not the case now).

What are you proudest of about your life? What have been your greatest achievements?

Having the boys and seeing them grow into young men has to be what I am proudest of! Not one achievement stands out, but still being here and working since I was 17 must be it!

Any regrets?

Being at the MCG when Geelong lost the 1989, 1992, 1994 and 2008 grand finals and not being there in 2007 to see the 44 year drought broken. Offset by being there in 2009 and 2011! 

Additionally, in the age old debate about boardies vs budgie smugglers, I chose a pair of (thin) red spandex smugglers in my early twenties. I have no regrets but a few blokes who saw them probably do.