Client Profile: Chris & Jane

Chris and Jane have kindly shared the story of their careers, family life, retirement adventures and their relationship with GFM Wealth Advisory. From building a successful business and raising four children to travelling the world and enjoying time with their nine grandchildren, their story is one of hard work, family and making the most of retirement. We sincerely thank them for contributing to this edition of Trade Secrets.

We have been with GFM since April 2017.

We both come from families of 7 children; Chris being the second eldest and Jane being the third eldest.

After 6 years as a boarder at Assumption Kilmore, Chris commenced work as a trainee building estimator with his father’s construction company in Deniliquin NSW. In 1979, along with his dad and brother Michael, Chris formed a new housing company called Hotondo Homes. In 1986, we relocated the company and our families to Melbourne due to our ongoing commitment to the Victorian Ministry of Housing. After 48 years working in the building industry, Chris retired at the end of 2020.

Jane’s first job after school was working for the Deniliquin Municipal Council as a junior clerk and then as a computer operator. We married, and along came our four children, which made Jane a very happy stay-at-home mum. As time progressed, Jane found herself helping at Hotondo and working for a period at Bakers Delight. During the last seven years of Jane’s working life, she was a medical receptionist at MIA in Camberwell. Jane retired in March 2014 to help with our beautiful grandchildren, of which we now have 9.

We find ourselves living very full lives in retirement. Chris volunteers with Blood Bikes Australia, has played the piano accordion (since the age of 7) in 2 wedding bands and continues to both play and run our church choir. Photography and motor bikes are also a real passion. Jane fills her days with family and gardening. We thoroughly enjoy travelling in our motor home and overseas and have very recently walked part of the Camino in Spain.

We were first introduced to GFM by my brother Michael, and our accountant further supported this recommendation. Right from our first introduction, we felt very comfortable with the warm and genuine interest Paul Nicol and GFM instilled in us. They listened to what was important to us and have helped us achieve our goals of financially assisting our children, whilst also making sure that we were ticking items off our own bucket list.

GFM’s professionalism is outstanding. They go above and beyond to reassure us that we matter. The seminars are so important in giving us an understanding and keeping us current with happenings in the world of finance. And then there are also the fabulous social gatherings which allow us to mingle with other clients while having a fun outing.

We would highly recommend GFM to anybody who is considering other options regarding their financial planning.

GFM has given us peace of mind. They have helped us secure our future and that of our children, and for that we will always be so very thankful.