Meet Gavin. He is a Garlic Prawn and Schnitzel loving, Eagles listening, family man, who often as a teenager used to cram up to 8 friends in his mini minor (this was back in the 80s before there were rules of course).
 

When he is not watching his beloved Crows on TV, he is keeping an eye on the each of South Australia’s other sporting teams, and the V8 Supercars.
 

Gavin is a Partner at Elders Insurance Gawler and has worked in the Insurance Industry for over 30 years. He is well known in the region for the specialist advice he offers to business owners and farmers.
 

This is, of course a far cry from his start in the Insurance industry! As a 16 year-old, he recalls being entrusted with the “very” important task of collecting the company’s mail from the GPO each morning.
 

Despite looking like a young man “heading for the airport” - holding a lockable suitcase while striding down King William Street in the City, he instead was carrying out his duties as “the office junior”- Collecting and delivering the mail!

 

He has always enjoyed playing the occasional office prank on his work mates. He is most renowned for tying tea bags to people's office phones - when the handset is picked up the bag explodes and tea leaves go everywhere.  

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Since the early days he was worked his way up through his career by valuing his clients and providing the excellent service levels that have become his trademark.
 

His favourite part of owning & operating a local Insurance Business is meeting new people - and being able to help them.

Gav deals with a diverse group of industries as well (these include Transport, Primary Producers, Manufacturers, Construction, Retail & Professionals).

“My clients are very loyal” Gavin says. “Having looked after their insurance requirements for a very long time you develop a personal relationship with them, and they trust you”. “You also develop a very good understanding of their businesses and their insurance needs”.  
 

Gavin has 32 years of experience, and to his own admission states “I’m a good listener, I’m a local, I care about my clients and I always look after their best interest”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Taking things back to a more light-hearted nature, if Gav wore a footy guernsey, he’d like it to be Number 3 (“because that’s the number Darren Jarman wore when he played for the Crows  - LEGEND!!”).
 

He doesn’t fancy himself as much of a cricketer, although, in the backyard or on the beach (where legends are sometimes made) he sees himself as a slogger and body line bowler.
 

“I was always that guy that had to jump the fence to retrieve the ball because my mates were always scared of the neighbour’s dog”. – A team player, and leader from a very young age it seems!

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The Best quote he’s ever heard (in life/sport) is: “We always learn more from the losing than the winning”.
 

His favourite things about Gawler are: “The vibrant atmosphere within the town and surrounding areas. The Gawler district continues to grow and develop which will bring new opportunities. The people are genuine, honest and hard-working”.  
 

Whilst Gavin’s client base is widespread, including interstate, his main domain stretches to the The Adelaide Plains where he also comments on his favourite things: “The people. All hard working and very proud of their businesses. A lot of my clients own & operate their own family business and are very passionate. The community is very tight and they’re all looking after each other”.  
 

Gavin’s favourite things about SA as a whole are:  
“I don’t mind people saying Adelaide is like a big country town. It’s the best place in the world to live and bring up a family. It provides a great lifestyle and offers so many different opportunities. We have some of the best coastlines in Australia, beautiful wine regions, fantastic grazing country and the best primary producing capabilities. I will always call Adelaide home”.
 

The most satisfying thing Gavin has assisted a customer with, is:

“First response. When the client needs your help, you have to be there for them. That first phone call is so important. When I answer the phone, I can hear the trauma & devastation in their voice. I know they need my help - that’s why I’m often the first person they call.

One of my clients had a major fire in their workshop. They sent me a text at 5.00am and by 5.30am I was at their premises starting to work through what had to be done. A plan of attack was agreed and we started. 

I rolled my sleeves up and assisted the client in pushing motor vehicles out of their workshop (60 cars).

Assessors were on site by 8.30am and all vehicles had been assessed by 11.30am.

I spent the whole day with the client, overseeing everything and ensuring that things remained on track. The most important thing for me was to reassure the client that everything was going to be OK.

It was a very stressful situation, but a great outcome”.   
 

Gavin has a Wife, Nicole, and 2 boys, Lachlan and Dylan.
 

Call Elders Insurance Gawler Barossa & Clare Valley today and speak to the team about your Business or personal insurance.

The entire team is local, just like Gavin.