Well, here is the second BIO posting.

The first one in this post is from Andrew Rowe:

I attended TPHS from 1960 to 1961, in classes 2C and 3C, and successfully completed the Intermediate Certificate, then I moved to Coffs Harbour where I completed the NSW Leaving Certificate at Coffs Harbour High School in 1963.

I subsequently returned to Canberra in late 1963 and have lived here ever since.  I joined the Commonwealth Department of Customs & Excise where I worked for 20 years. While working in Customs, I undertook a Bachelor of Arts in Administration degree part time at the then Canberra College of Advanced Education.

After Customs I worked with the Department of Industry and Commerce for four years and then transferred to the ACT Government where I worked for 14 years, mainly in the Registrar-General's Office where I occupied the position of Manager, Business Names & Associations.  I retired from the workforce in 2001.

I married Christina in 1975, we now live in Florey and we have three sons Ross (34), Ian (32) and Richard (30).  Ross is an Information technology contractor, Ian is a solicitor and Richard is a financial analyst with the Commonwealth Grants Commission.  We also have four grandchildren.

I always regarded TPHS as easily the best school I attended.

Since retirement, Christina and I have done some travelling both locally and overseas and I'm a keen lawn bowler.

 
and here is David Hoffman's BIO:
 

After  leaving TPHS, I did an Arts(Hons) degree at the ANU, spending the last three years at Bruce Hall, where I learnt to play bridge, and improved my billiards skills.

On graduating, I joined the Department of Mathematics, UNSW at the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

When the Australian Defence Force Academy opened in 1984, I transferred to the School of Computer Science, UNSW. During the time there I had a stint as Head of School.

In the early 1970s I joined the Australian Society for Operations Research, for which I had a period as President of the ACT Chapter, and was for 11 years the editor of the Society’s Bulletin, for which I was granted honorary life membership.

Resigning from academia in 2000, I then worked for 7 years as Principal Operational Analyst for the largest gun running company in Australia, ADI, now known as Thales Australia, best known as the supplier of the Bushmaster vehicle, used with success in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Subsequently I have consulted with my old university, providing courseware and courses.

On the sporting and recreational arena, I played comp tennis and squash until my back went, then took up orienteering (otherwise known as cunning running, although if nobody is around it is more like walking), and am now seriously trying to reduce my golf handicap as a C grade golfer.

However my main activity has been bridge, representing Australia at world championships on and off since 1971, and winning a number of Australian championships for the ACT. I am also currently Immediate Past President of the Canberra Bridge Club.

Somewhere in between Julia and I have raised a pigeon pair, each of whom has also produced a pigeon pair. Fortunately they all live in Sydney, close enough to enjoy, but far enough away not to tie us down.

Check back soon, there are more BIOs to come!

Biographies

Well, we asked for "head shots" and BIOs, some are short and some are long so here we go:

The first is from Sue Upton (now King), and it goes like this:

After the Leaving Certificate, I received a teacher’s scholarship to Wagga Wagga Teachers’ College, where I spent possibly the best 2 years of my life. “Growing up’ without mum and dad hanging over my shoulder was certainly a bonus!

I only taught for 5 years here in Canberra at North Ainslie Primary as I married a young German guy, Gerd King, in 1969. My years in Enid Watson’s and Marian Ryan’s German classes certainly paid dividends! Shortly after marrying, we lived in Germany in the Black Forest for about 18 months.

As Gerd was a letterpress compositor, we decided on our return to Australia in 1971 to start our own printing business, which (we are very proud to say) we are still working at together! Retirement is somewhere in the future ………….

Our 2 children, Martin Wendelin 38 and Elizabeth Anna 30, have decided that Canberra is the place for their families to live. As grandparents living here, we couldn’t be happier.

Until recently, I was a board member of the Canberra Racing Club, as Gerd and I are keen racehorse owners and race goers. Skiing has been shelved permanently as the knees are not as good as they were, so going to the races is a very pleasant way to spend our leisure time together.

Life is good.

Another from Norman (Norm) Collings follows:

I was born in UK and came to Australia in February 1949 as a toddler hanging onto the hands of my Ten Pound POM parents. We came straight to Canberra and dad started up a building business and we lived in two different houses in Narrabundah and the family finally settled in Deakin. I have lived in Canberra ever since.

My education included Telopea Transition, Narrabundah Primary (1^st and 2^nd classes), Telopea Primary (3^rd, 4^th and 5^th classes), Griffith Primary for 6^th class and then five years at Telopea Park High School.

I joined the Department of Defence in 1963 and had a career in various aspects of Information Technology for 35 years.

During the time at Defence I obtained a Bachelor of Arts (part time) at ANU with majors in Psychology, Philosophy and a sub-major in Computer Science.

I have been married twice, divorced twice, have two children from my first marriage. Had several other “colourful relationship” experiences and am now in happy requirement with my partner of ten years, Liz.

I played hockey at school and on weekends and this continued until I was 33. I then developed a total bicycle life style: commuting to work, touring (nationally and internationally), training and racing both track and road. Competition cycling had to cease in 1990 because of medical reasons, but I am still social cycling.

Information Technology was my career, and is now my hobby. As a Rotarian I do voluntary work.

The important things now are health, family (now including grandchildren) and keeping active.

More BIOs to come in later posts....