Barry & Glenys Elliot

Barry has kindly written the article below on their family, working life, retirement and their experiences as clients of GFM Wealth Advisory and GFM Gruchy Accounting. We much appreciate Barry’s contribution to Trade Secrets.

Although our relationship with GFM Wealth Advisory commenced “only” 5 years ago in February 2015 when GFM and P Gruchy and Associates (now GFM Gruchy Accounting) amalgamated, we have been a client of P Gruchy and Associates since 1974 after we returned from the U.K. At this time, I commenced private practice at St. Francis Cabrini in association with Brian Barrett and Michael Fogarty, who were already clients of GFM Gruchy Accounting. I also commenced orthopaedics at the Alfred Hospital as an Honorary Assistant Orthopaedic Surgeon and an Assistant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Children’s Hospital.

Both Glenys and I were born in country Victoria, and both attended Rochester Higher Elementary School until intermediate when Glenys went to boarding school in Ballarat, and I went to boarding school in Melbourne.

In 1963, Glenys and I were married and lived in St Kilda Road near the Alfred. After matriculating, I obtained a place in the Melbourne Medical School and graduated MBBS in 1965. Glenys started nursing at the Northern District School of Nursing in Bendigo, and after graduating came to Melbourne nursing at various private hospitals including, as a theatre sister at St Georges and Vimy Private Hospitals. In 1966, our first daughter Simone was born, closely followed in 1967 by Andrea, and then in 1971 by Tania.

I was a resident medical officer at the Alfred, spent a year at Monash University in the Anatomy School, then a registrar at Prince Henry’s Hospital for two years, passing the FRACS in 1971. I then joined the Australian Orthopaedic training program spending a year at the Alfred, the Royal Children’s and then overseas experience at the Royal Infirmary and Princess Margaret Rose Orthopaedic Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. The three girls accompanied us to Edinburgh, where the two eldest went to school.

After a couple of years, the Honorary system was terminated by the Government, and a salary system was introduced. At this time all the girls were at school, so Glenys started to work in my rooms at Cabrini Medical Centre as Secretary/Office Manager.

I gradually moved up the orthopaedic ladder at the Alfred, finishing up as Head of Elective Orthopaedics and became involved in Hospital administration on the Management Executive Committee and then as Medical Co-director of the Musculo- Skeletal Services responsible for trauma, intensive care, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, burns and the hyperbaric treatment unit. I continued this role until retirement from the Alfred in 2005.

During my career, I had also joined the RAAF Medical Reserve in 1969 while at Prince Henry’s and later did orthopaedic sessions at Headquarters Command in St. Kilda Road and the RAAF Hospital at Laverton. I undertook two terms as Surgeon to the Butterworth Air force Base in Malaysia, the second with Glenys and the girls living on the base. I also spent some years going to Indonesia as an Overseas Examiner to the Indonesian Orthopaedic Association Examinations.

Glenys and I have been lucky enough to travel to orthopaedic conferences around the world, mainly Europe and Asia.

We have both played tennis regularly for many years at a private court in East Malvern until the property was sold.

In 1996 we bought the small property in Fern Hill and the family planted 8000 Pinot Noir grapes on 5 acres – something I can’t recommend! I became involved with the local wine region and joined the local committee. We spend considerable time at the property in our retirement.

Over 30 plus years we had been extremely happy with the accounting advice of P Gruchy and Associates, and have been equally impressed by the financial advice the GFM team has provided since 2015.

Our broad perception of GFM Wealth Advisory is of a well-run, knowledgeable and ethical business, who to date have been very helpful in furthering our financial position. In our experience, GFM Wealth and GFM Gruchy Accounting have seamlessly integrated, and we have found all staff across the organisation an absolute pleasure to deal with.

Glenys and I value stability in our relationships. To date, this has been a feature of our relationship with GFM Gruchy Accounting and long may it continue with the combined GFM Wealth and Gruchy business.

Most importantly, Glenys and I have no hesitation in recommending GFM to friends and relatives who would benefit from good, ethical, high-quality accounting and financial advice.