Barry Paige was born in Mount Gambier on the same day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. During his lifetime, he has seen it grow from 6,000 to 26,000 people.
Started work straight out of high school joining the timber industry for £6 7s (todays equivalent is $14 a week). 18 months later he moved to Dartmoor Mill before being conscripted for the Vietnam War, where he spent nine months after training before coming back home to Australia as a Lance-Corporal. Barry went back to work at softwoods upon his return and as part of the marketing division which he loved.
In the summer of ’69, Barry and Jan became engaged and later married in September 1970. Jan was a total stunner and he knew he was punching above his weight. As an ANSETT hostess, Jan had to retire after their wedding.
Barry had a few roles including Assistant Manager at a crate making firm, Manager at a Portland particle board plant, and back into marketing when they returned to Mount Gambier. He secured the first order from a Japanese company seeking particle board on the back of beer coaster, which led to a new role as Export Manager. This included 2-3 trips per year to Japan to maintain the relationship. When the business was sold, Barry went with Alan Scott to K&S, which he loved and saw the business grow to $800 million annual turnover.
Barry and Jan have three sons and a daughter and 11 grandkids
