b"At the beginning of 1984, GMA took on its first brokerMUSHROOM FARM FIRES, beyond the founding trio. Kym Bache had been anTRUCK CRASHES ANDagent for Royal Insurance in Clare since 1967. Kym knew Brian well, and after talking to John, he jumped MARINE LAWat the chance to join, transferring his clients over. For Allan Amber, MGAs success comesI had to go out and convince my clients that dealingfrom strong client relationships built onwith a brokerage was the way to go and that Id still trust and integrity. be looking after their insurance, recalls Kym. I think that persuaded most of them and I cant recall any Thats the trickrelationships equal culture, that didnt come across. Royal Insurance supported myhe says. All my clients had my phone number. move in that respect. They could see that was the wayEven before mobiles, my phone would ring at to go. They were looking to deal more with brokerstwo or three oclock in the morning. It would rather than direct with clients.be a client whos had something big happen John continued servicing his portfolio while transport companies calling about truck performing the de facto chief operations officercrashes, mushroom farm fires, you name it.role. With an experienced broker by his side, BrianI had one client in the transport business31consolidated the companys market share in the Midwho moved into refrigerated goods. Ive never North. Meanwhile, Allans connections in the marketstudied marine law, but suddenly I had garden community and elsewhere were beginning another client who needed to be protected to reap rewards.from that. I wanted my clients to feel they Once we got rolling, within two or three years, we hadcould completely trust and talk to me. Thats an idea of where we were going, what we were doingthe important thing. Theyve got to be honest and how it worked, Allan says. with you.We all had good work ethics. We all wanted to makeOne of Allan's major clients is a large construction a go of things, and we were all reasonably ambitious.company prominent in the South Australian And we were all quite financially conservative, so webuilding industry. needed to make a bottom line. But we wantedto grow. We always wanted to expand.'In 1980, I went to see him by referral, ashe was just starting out in business. He was basically working out of a shipping container.I wrote the business then and his company continued to grow over the next forty years, and I have been with them all the way.'Opposite (L-R) Brian McInerney, Allan Amber, John Georgeand Barry Caddle after winning the South Australian RallyChampionship, 1992."