Client Profile: Howard & Rosemary Rose

Howard kindly wrote the article on their working life, retirement and relationship with GFM Wealth Advisory. We appreciate Howard’s contribution to Trade Secrets.

Rosemary and I have only been clients of GFM Wealth Advisory since July 2022 and could be considered relative ‘newbies’.

We switched from another SMSF advisor after 12 years, principally due to poor investment performance.

I retired 12 years ago, having spent 42 years in the Australian water industry based in Darwin, Canberra, and Melbourne, working early on as an Engineer and then as an Economist. The last 25 years were spent in executive roles with Melbourne Water, focusing on corporate strategy, pricing, and sustainability.

Rosemary retired ten years ago after spending time working in several stockbroking firms and with the Victorian Farmers Federation.

We have two beautiful daughters and a very grown–up and delightful seven–year–old granddaughter.

We downsized to an apartment in Glen Iris in 2020 after living in Mount Waverley for 43 years. Our daughters live in Hampton.

I keep active by playing lawn bowls, teaching children how to swim, bike riding and painting the houses of our offspring. I Chair our Owners Corporation Committee and am a member of the Management Committee at the Bowls Club.

Rosemary plays golf, attends water aerobics and Pilates classes, and enjoys ‘social coffees’.

We are members of Hawthorn u3a (current affairs and music) and have travelled extensively overseas.

We became clients of GFM based on a recommendation from our former advisor in the old firm (Amelia Paullo), who provided excellent client service. Following an initial meeting, which spelled out the benefits of a firm offering investment and financial planning advice, we had no hesitation in becoming GFM clients.

We have found GFM very professional, client-focused, friendly, and courteous in their dealings with us. We have appreciated the massive amount of work undertaken by Amelia and others to transfer our investments from our portfolio to the new one, making it more tax–effective and spreading the investment risk. We appreciate the opportunities that GFM provides to keep us up to date with market developments and enjoy the social functions held during the year.

The best thing we have experienced as clients is the smooth transition from our previous SMSF provider to GFM. On top of this, based on the annual financial modelling performed by GFM, we have a much better appreciation of how long our funds will last!

We have already referred friends to GFM and will continue to do so in future based on GFM’s professionalism, standing in the Financial Planning industry, investment performance and exceptional client service.