John C. PLATT
-
1973
Alumni Profiles
Description
My year at Portsea was a dramatic change from growing up in country NSW, but I still managed to sneak through without relinquishing that exalted rank of ‘Officer Cadet’. My first posting was to 8/12 Medium Regiment, RAA at Holsworthy, then in 1978 I went to study at the Royal School of Artillery in the UK and after instructed in West Germany. Returning to our School of Artillery, Manly in 1980 started a long association with this wonderful area. During this time I was also appointed as the Honorary Aide to His Excellency the Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler. Then, further technical training overseas in the United States including time with the Hughes Aircraft Company. In 1983 I was posted to Brisbane including a secondment back to West Germany on Headquarters of the 4th Armoured Division before a posting as the Air and Training Operations Officer at Headquarters 1st Division (with Peter Raue). I attended the Army’s Command and Staff College in 1989 (with Dave Moon, Chris Luz-Raymond, Peter Feeney, Tom Moylan, Rod Chisholm, and Bruce Cook); the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College in 1992 including a posting to the Australian Embassy in Manila. In late 1993 I returned to Australia as the Army Senior Career Adviser; then was lucky enough to command the School of Artillery in 1995/6 before taking up the appointment as Defence Liaison Officer in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In January 1998 I was promoted to Colonel and became the Commandant of the Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka.
It was back to Sydney in 2000 as the Colonel Operations at Headquarters Training Command, and then later the following year I left Defence to be the CEO and General Manager of Cromer Golf Club, then Killara Golf Club. After prompting by LTGEN Ken Gillespie I returned to Defence in late 2006 for 3 years as the Commanding Officer of Headquarters Joint Operations Command (with John Duff). The job involved the planning, preparation, building advice, and occupation of the new Headquarters at Bungendore along with the relocation of staff from seven smaller locations. I continue to do part time work for the Headquarters as the Chief Safety Officer for the Talisman Sabre exercises.
In Sydney I have consulted and worked for ING Australia, ANZ Wealth, and had Board appointments with Vivid Financial, Premier SMSF Solutions and Implemented Portfolios. I am currently the Chairman and a shareholder of Implemented Portfolios, and also Chair Treysta Wealth Management – a linked company. In addition, I Chair the Warringah Australia Remembers Trust for Tony Abbott, on the Consultative Committee of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, and a Director of the Manly Life Saving Club.
Sally and I were married in 1988 and our twin boys were born in 1989, then a daughter in 1992. Sally is the Chief Orthoptist at the Mosman Eye Centre, Miles is a Senior Accountant at Ernst & Young and Angus is completing his third tertiary qualification. Eleanor studies Property Economics and is currently doing an architecture semester in Turin, Italy.
I still love the water (liquid and frozen) and my interests include surf life saving, surfing, swimming (with fond memories of our winning OCS swim team at ISCAM with Buddy Portier and John Duff – although Buddy did most of the work!), alpine skiing, rugby, and golf. I compete as a master in surf life saving and went to the Word Championships last year, and this October completed another Coolangatta Gold. My family are all keen snow skiers and in addition to Australia we have all skied in New Zealand, North America, Europe and Japan. We are back to Europe in December to visit my daughter and ski in Italy and Switzerland, and then return to Japan in February if time permits. Japan is still my favourite – exceptional snow, wonderful culture, and clinically efficient.
Portsea was the start of a learning, education and skills journey that has benefited me in both the Army and business; and of course only we know what it is to be ‘brother’s in arms’! I look forward to our 40th reunion.
