b'First of all, you have an annual AGM, so your appointment is renewed each year, he explains. You look after the claims for the corporation throughout the year. If you look after it properly, itll be renewed the next year. I could see that the back-office systems and ledgers could align.Des reflects that John was always open to possibilities but rarely rash in his decision-making. Johns an outstanding thinker who comes up with deals, but never without taking advice. Thats one of the reasons why he and the company have been very successful. Whittles was established in 1985 as a separate corporate entity to GMA, but the two companies shared almost all of their administrative functions. Allan says he immediately saw the commercial sense to Alan Killmier, who had expressed frustration within Johns desire to buy Whittles, but not without some35Whittles. John wryly recalls, They werent all thatreservations. For example, new employees had to be happy with it because accountants dont like peopleintegrated into the business. He says it felt like a leap coming up to their counter complaining. of faith at the time. I think back, and we were buying a business that was probably bigger than us, and it With this nugget of information, John caught up withinvolved strata title managers and body corporatesDes over lunch and floated the idea of GMA doingand all of that. them a favour by taking Whittles off their hands.Bill Arnold, a business associate of Johns, joined Whittles provided good business for GMA, accountingWhittles and worked through the due diligence and audit for a small but respectable portion of Johns portfolio.procedures involved in bringing Whittles into the fold. At On top of that, it gave John a foot in the door withthe time, he helped convince Brian of the deals merits. construction, building services and associated trades. John didnt want that to disappear. He viewed WhittlesHe was a wise old man. Bill was the guy you would as a strategic acquisition and recognised that therun ideas past, and he didnt muck about. He would broking and strata management businesses sharedtell you, youre barking up the wrong tree, dont do it, many similarities.Brian recalls. Opposite Advertising featureAbove MGA Whittlesabout Whittles published logo, late 1980s.15 March 1995. Image courtesy of The Advertiser.'