Anthony Richard (Tony) Lewis - Personal profile
The first 50 years.
On Monday 17 June 1946, two great events occurred:
A driver in St. Louis pulled out a handset from under his car’s dashboard, placed a phone call and made history. It was the first mobile telephone call, placed on a system inaugurated by Southwestern Bell; one of AT&T’s local operating companies,
and, more importantly, Anthony Richard Lewis was born.
My earliest memory is of the house we lived in at 16 Nicholson Street Footscray, an inner Melbourne western suburb.
In 1949 we moved to the Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris and about a year later moved to Brighton where I lived for the next 18 years. My Brother still lives in the same house.
My father was an Air Force officer with a passion for music, as well as being an accomplished musician playing both Saxophone and Clarinet. Upon leaving the Air Force he worked in the music industry for over a decade and in the very early 1960’s started his own music business which is still operating today under the control of my Brother.
My mother was what was considered the typical 1940’s 50’s housewife.
I went to the local State and High schools and finished year 12 (then known as Matriculation) in 1963.
In 1964 I was employed by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) as a Trainee Accountant on the condition that I undertook further accounting studies.
The job interview was with the Company Secretary and Chief Accountant and consisted of “show us your school report” and “what football team do you follow”
I mentioned that I followed South Melbourne and to my amazement so did the Chief Accountant - I had the job!
From what I thought was to be a fill in job, I remained there for the next 32 years moving through a various number of roles including being a Paymaster, Divisional Accountant, Office Manager, Training Manager, Human Resource Manager and finally Assistant General Manager with a 12 month stint as relieving General Manager.
My initial study was interrupted due to finding the Mitre Tavern (a local watering hole in the Melbourne CBD), far more interesting that boring accounting lectures at night school.
However, I soon realised that unless I did get a qualification my career at RACV would be quite limited.
Therefore, I continued my studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University graduating with a Bachelor of Business.
Having the taste for study I then enrolled at the University of Melbourne to study a Graduate Diploma in Labour Relations Law.
I met Kathy in January 1967 through the girlfriend of a school friend of mine.
This girl worked with Kathy at (what was then known as) the Australian Society of Accountants - now CPA Australia - and they introduced me to Kathy. We were married in June 1968.
At that time I had a keen interest in flying and learnt to fly a Piper Chipmunk and then a Piper Cherokee 140 both low wing light aircraft, through the Royal Victorian Aero Club at Melbourne’s Moorabbin Airport.
However, trying to buy a house and flying (which was very expensive - 25% of my gross weekly salary per flying hour - even back then) brought my flying career to an abrupt end.
We bought a house in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverly where we stayed for 28 years before moving to Queensland in 1996
Kathy and I have 2 children, Stephen who is a Real Estate Agent and has a dear little 6 year old daughter Jocelyn (famous for her disappearing event last July) and Jenny who has just qualified from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Laws already having a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Jenny is now at Bond University completing a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She works part time in a legal practice that specialise in Industrial and Employment Law. Jenny is married to James who works as an IT programmer for an American Software company based in Burbank California, who writes the software programs for animated movie production company DreamWorks. He also has his own IT business. They have 2 delightful children, Amy 13 and Michael 10, both attend Emmanuel College.
Amy has inherited the musical talent playing both Piano and Clarinet, and plays 1st Clarinet in the school orchestra. Michael is a budding IT guru, and musically is leaning the Saxophone.
In Melbourne, I had always been interested in lead lighting and for several years went every Monday night to a group class learning all the aspects of lead lighting. This was a great outlet from the Business world and I looked forward to going each Monday night until the move to Queensland.
My biggest project was to make a carousal which consists of over 500 pieces of glass and took several years on and off to make. It has 25 animals - mainly horses - turns and is fully illuminated with halogen globes. Each horse averages about 15 pieces of glass and takes about 8 hours each to make. Although I do very little lead lighting these days, I have completed about 60% of another carousel making a few changes to the original model.
The last 20 Years.
In February 1996 the RACV went through structure change and the position of Assistant General Manager was abolished. I was offered the position of Company Secretary. After careful consideration I declined the offer electing to take a redundancy package as Kathy and I were keen to move to Queensland where I knew I could get a “transfer” to the RACQ as through the Auto Club network I had some friends there. Kathy also had 3 of her 5 siblings living here.
In hindsight, I regret not taking up the role of Company Secretary but at the time the attraction of Queensland was too great.
I started with the RACQ in August 1996 and was asked to establish their Telephone Business Call Centre (what is now the 131905 phone number) 131905 was chosen as the RACQ began in 1905.
I stayed with the RACQ until 2006 when I finally retired.
However, becoming a little bored I decided that doing part time teaching would be a good idea. So back to study to get a teaching qualification.
I initially started work at Logan TAFE (renamed Metropolitan South) at their Loganlea campus teaching generally accounting and business law, and was moved to the Springwood campus to take night classes
I then went to Brisbane North TAFE at their South Brisbane campus again teaching but this time with on line students, not face to face as had been at Metro South.
Following this I then taught at Gold Coast TAFE (Southport campus) and finally to where I currently teach at North Coast TAFE - Kingscliff where I have been for the last 6 years. Here I am teaching face to face in Diploma and Certificate IV level accounting and business law and any other business related subjects I am asked to do.
I try to keep reasonably fit by going to the PCYC Gym 3 - 4 times a week. However, this attempt at fitness is often offset by excessive food and drink intake.
Through the instigation of Bob Jordan, I became a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) in 2009 and work as a volunteer JP at the Q Centre every Saturday morning.
I have always had a great interest in Australian history, and to this extent I am currently enrolled at Deakin University (in Melbourne) studying for a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Australian History and studies. Some friends have replied to this by stating I need Psychiatric help because I have chosen to study for a BA at 70 years of age.
Kathy and I are very keen on travel and have had 3 trips to Europe the last being for 2 months - a little too long. Our favourite countries are France, Italy and Germany. We enjoy the European river cruising and have been on 4 such cruises. We also enjoy ocean cruising and our last trip included 14 days cruising the Greek Isles, Croatia, Italy and Turkey. In June we are off for 30 days in Asia which includes a 21 day cruise of Japan and 6 other Asian countries.
I joined the Rotary Club of Broadbeach at the invitation of past member and President Ray Burton on 12th September 2000.
On the same night PP Bill Rex, the late Phil Moore and a Pharmacist by the name of Rod Raven (no longer a member of the Club) also joined.
I had a great mentor at the time being PP and former member Tom Hirst and I thank him for the guidance he gave me.
The following year PP Chris Thomsen asked me to do the speaker program during his year as President, and again I received great help from the late PP Dick Holland and also from PP Keith Hawton.
Things did not slow down as the next year I was asked to be Secretary by the late PP Clive Evenden and within a month of asking me that Clive asked me to follow him as President. I accepted this honour and was President for the year 2003 - 2004.
Again I was given some good advice. This came from PP Dr Denis O’Brien who said to me “delegate”
I have served as Secretary 3 times (will be 4 being Secretary to Alain). I have also served as a Director several times.
It is an honour to be a member of the Rotary Club of Broadbeach.
If you are still awake, thank you for reading this.
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