CHIT CHAT
Round Up
Hans Weemaes (1996-98)
Danielle (1994-96) & David (1992-95) Jesser Dave and I are close to celebrating our 6 year wedding anniversary, we can not believe how quickly this has come. It has been a wonderful 6 years lived at quite a fast pace but full of enjoyment and adventures, overseas trips and buying houses as well as the sorrows and sadness that life offer. Earlier this year Dave finished an MBA and Masters of Law at QUT and has gone on to be made a partner at the firm he has been with most of his career – McInnes Wilson. We were very proud of these achievements as he undertook the study etc. I have stayed at home raising our boys and trying to keep things running smoothly so that all this was possible. Our latest and by far most exciting news though is the birth of our third son, Daniel. Born only a few weeks ago on 30/09/05 he arrived safe and well after a very eventful pregnancy that has kept me tied up for quite a few months. Daniel and I are both very well now though and it won’t be long before he is running around after his brothers William and Ben. So now we are the proud parents of 3 boys born in the last three years! Possibly you can understand why I have not had much time to myself, although we often have thought of Cromwell and regularly keep up with a lot of our friends from those years. We especially enjoyed the 50th Anniversary last year and look forward to more celebrations like it. Danielle Darren Lewis (1990-1994) Darren Lewis is now the proud father of a daughter, Isabella Charlotte, born on 18 December 2005. Darren has been married to Amanda, a food technologist, since 2003 and they have thereafter lived in Toowoomba. The celebrant at their wedding was Dr. Krohn. Until recently, Darren was in general practice as a solicitor at C.W. Hooper & Hooper in Laidley. He is now employed as a Family Lawyer at the Toowoomba office of Legal Aid Queensland. The Lewis’ recently called upon Alan Brown (1991-1993) and his wife and child at their home in Brisbane. Darren has also caught up with Allan McGregor (1992-1995), by way of email, who reported that he is progressing well within the engineering branch of Orica Chemicals at Gladstone. As well as family life and the law, Darren is kept busy with various community and social groups. He hopes to see as many Old Collegians and connections as possible at the social function planned for 1st August 2006 at Toowoomba.
From left Hans Weemaes (1996-98), Stephen Gordon Jones (1996-98) and Ken Oleary. Dear Mr Begbie Just a short email to wish you and your family all the best for the New Year. I also thought that I would bring you up to speed on what I have been up to over the past few years. I must also apologise for not taking up the opportunity last year to attend the Canberra old collegians function (I was in Sydney with work at the time). As you probably know, for the past five years I’ve been based in Canberra where I have spent three years at the Federal Treasury and two years with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These departments have been excellent training grounds in economics and trade and have really motivated me to pursue a career in international finance. I have recently completed two more post-graduate degrees at the Australian National University - a Master in Economics (for which I won the faculty prize in 2004) and a Graduate Diploma in Financial Management. I have also been offered an invitation to complete my Master of Business Administration at the University of Chicago next year. I hope that this experience will open the door to US based international financial firms. On a personal level, I married my Union College girlfriend, and partner of nine years, Hayley Herden earlier last year on the Gold Coast. My best man was old boy Stephen Jones who you would remember attended college with me in 1996-1998. Hayley and I intend to have children after we’ve both finished studying in a couple of years time. I am glad to see that the college is stronger than ever and I wish you and the college all the best for 2006. Kind regards and all the best Hans
COCA News 2006 • Page 12