b'By 1980, Allan had been with United for a decade. They offered him interstate positions and an overseas opportunity, but he wasnt keen to uproot his young family. His career was at a crossroads. THE AMBER FAMILY FARM20 I had three young kids and a mortgage. Mortgagerates in those days were 15 per cent, and United The Amber family name is prominent in had me on a special plan of 3 per cent, so it was the history of Adelaides market gardeners fairly hard to walk away. and the Athelstone community. Stephen Amber emigrated to Australia in 1848 and Again, his brother, who had worked as a broker,settled in Athelstone in 1851. The property stepped in and suggested he give broking a go. he established remained in his family for He soon had an interview with a broking firm specialising in mining companies. generations. Allan was well-known andrespected by the market garden community, By this time, John George had been working and he made good use of his contacts in independently and successfully as a broker for fivebuilding his portfolio. years. He struck a rich vein of business by handlingthe vexed issue of workers compensation insurancefor small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and was building a heaving portfolio of clients across industries. He had also entered a successful Clare-based joint venture with Brian McInerney.Above Allan Amber with his cousins, harvesting potatoes on the farm, 1967.'