b'Whittles was expanded to include a real estate agency and property management arm. Johns wife, Margaret, a successful real estate agent, took the reins. Those parts of the business operated for several years. Today, Whittles provides professional building and apartment management services to property owners, developers and investors nationwide. It is among the largest strata management companies in Australia,BILL ARNOLDS LEGACY with around 8000 titles under management. Bill Arnolds memory lives on today at theOn the surface, Whittles seemed an unusual MGA Whittles head office with a meetingacquisition, but it proved a masterstroke, enablingroom named in his honour. Formerly a seniorthe business to access new revenue lines and further real estate agent, and before that, in charge ofscale centralised back-office processes. 36 the now-defunct Bennett & Fisher agribusiness stockbroking division, he was a whirlwindWhittles is a very important part of our story,says John. of cigarette smoke and expletiveswith a heart of gold. He became a mentor to allIn the years that followed, it would play a crucialthree directors as well as other employees.role in the survival of the MGA Whittles group.Alongside John, Bill oversaw much of the Whittles acquisition and integration. He was the group secretary of the MGA WhittlesGroup for five years before retiring. Pat Warren, who took over from Bill as company secretary, remembers him fondly. He had an office at the top of the stairs at Trinity Gardens, and he had a very commanding presence as he strolled around the office. He had a strong character and I think he was a guiding force for John, Brian and Allan in those early days.'