Old Boys
A Word or Two with Delpratt Old Boy Paul Wood Back when he was a Delpratt boarder from 1980-1984, it’s almost certain that Paul Wood could never have had the faintest idea that he would find himself where he is today. OSA President, 50% owner of Stewart Silver King and Burns Community Managers (a body corporate services and consulting company with over 120 staff in seven offices stretching from Melbourne to Cairns) and happily married to Donna with son Cody in Year 2 at TSS and daughter Caitlin in Year 1 at St. Hilda’s. After graduating Paul was undecided about his future. He went down the path of briefly studying maths and computing at DDIAE in Toowoomba, laboring, overseas travel, and on his return from abroad, looking at the prospect of going back into the construction industry. It was at this point that his future father-in-law wisely suggested he’d be better off working with his head rather than his hands and should grab the chance to go to university. Decision made, Paul headed off to do a Bachelor of Business and this proved to be a turning point. But university degrees aside, it appears that the strong foundation laid by his years at TSS has played a fundamental part in influencing Paul’s attitudes and success. “The traditions and values of TSS most definitely shaped me to be who I am today... there was the study of course, but I played a lot of sport and that taught me a
tremendous amount about myself and others… lessons not just for the footy paddock or cricket pitch, but ones that definitely formed the basis for decisions later in my life… in my early years my mates in Delpratt were a strong influence and I have to say they still play a part in my life as I continue to see them regularly… in my senior years it was the guidance of my boarding Housemaster, Bruce Maughan, along with the likes of Curley Lamb and Bill Greinke.” Paul freely admits that he struggled with applying himself to study at university and at times allowed having a good time to take precedence, thereby resulting in what should have been a three-year course stretching to four years, and after gaining a full-time job, having to complete some subjects externally. So with that priceless commodity of hindsight, what would he do differently and what advice has he got for the current Year 12 boys about choosing a future pathway? “I guess I would have to say I would not be as afraid of failure and would take defeats more as a learning curve and the start of new opportunities, and not as a disappointment to myself and those around me... as for the present TSS boys, if you are fortunate enough to know what you want to do then don’t hold back, definitely go for it. If you are like I was and don’t really know what you want, then go and do some study and get a piece of paper behind you… you will learn lessons you can apply for the rest of your life no matter what you do. It will provide opportunities you never previously considered.” 35