User:Simon Anthony Paterson

Born 1973 at Frankston Victoria, grew up in Melbourne, started building trade apprenticeship at 15 years old, 1989 - The recession we had to have according to then Prime Minister Jeff Kennett, Simon was retrenched only 2 years into the apprenticeship due to the building industry coming to a halt in Melbourne and Australia. The same time a junior amateur boxing champion in Victoria. Simon one night with his Grandfather Ron Densley, Father of his Mother Julie, who’s 2 brother’s all fought in WW2 where having dinner, Joining the Army come up in the conversation, Let’s say the next day Simon was taken to the recruitment office in Melbourne and 2 weeks later Simon was marching around a parade ground in Army basic training at Kapooka military base in NSW.

As Simon was so fit from the boxing training and excelled in the basic, then infantry and then the jungle training, Simon was asked to join 3RAR, 3rd royal Australian Regiment, At this time the Commandos were only reservist and 3RAR took on the full time position of Paratrooper, Urban and anti-terrorist warfare just under the level of SAS, as a then 17 year old, just turning 18, never had been in a plane and wet behind the ears couldn’t say no in excitement, The next 3+ years was to be an amazing life experience and something he will always cherish, Simon also boxed for the Army winning the heavy weight championship in 1993, Army Carrier 1990 – 1994.

Discharging in 1994 to join the Australian boxing team representing Australia at numerous World Championship tournaments Globally from 1994 – 2000 including making Olympic selection in 1996 but due to a shoulder injury had to pull out a few months prior to be operated on, A Semi-finalist at 1998 Commonwealth games in KL, Turning Professional in 2000, Simon went onto win the Australian Cruiserweight (86kg) Championship then the IBF World regional Championship, retiring 2004. World ranked 15, A total of 155 Amateur fights Inc Army and tent fights with an 80%-win record, 15 Professional fights, with 3 Losses that all were title fights 12 rounders and close contests, With 8 KO wins, Trained by Legend, Bruce Farthing R.I.P at Woolloomooloo PCYC. A Boxing carrier from the age of 13 – 31 Simon never broke his nose and never hit the canvas.

1994 On Discharging from the Army Simon was married to Vanessa, Still married today with twin boys Ryan and Kai, aged 17, Born 2003 currently in year 11. 1994 Simon went and finished his building trade and went back to Tafe to complete his school certificate. The same time Simon and Vanessa together started doing building developments and where very successful, at the same time investing in the Pub hotel industry being shareholders in numerous hotels around Sydney Including the NSW State No.1 Pokie revenue Pub, Vegas hotel located in central of the strip, Kings Cross.

Simon loved the Pub industry as from 18 years old did door work and bar management while in the Army to earn extra money, at the same time was also a good boat rower, competing for Bronte surf club, This is where Simon meet Aaron Collins and his Father Paul, 2 gentlemen that sponsored Bronte Surf Club and bought Banana boat into Australia and took to 43% market share of the Australian and Asian pacific sunscreen industry. In 2010 Paul did a Global sell off to Energiser of Banana boat, then retired.

Simon and Aaron then started (SLSA) Surf lifesaving Australia sunscreen in 2010, Paul helped as a mentor and adviser, now are top 5 sunscreen sales in Australia and Surf lifesaving Australia biggest income out side donations and alike, SLSA earns a % of sales for use of there brand, Simon and Vanessa are approx. 40% shareholder in the business, Aaron Collins a shareholder and CEO of the company, Sunlife Products P/L. A special mention to Simon and Vanessa’s as well as Aaron’s long-term friend, mentor and adviser Kevin Weldon who helped with the powers to be of SLSA to in still the trust that Aaron and Simon would be the best people and could get the job done, Kevin a founder of World Surf lifesaving, The Westpac helicopter service and now the Ripper group has also gained Simon and Vanessa to invest in the Ripper group.

Simon and Vanessa are very excited about the Ripper group, the actual people involved such as astronaut Mr Scully-Power, Kevin himself, family members and Grandson Jason as CEO. The futuristic attributes of the business are endless and the obvious need for safety, speed of doing business is paramount.

Back to 2007, The (GFC). Global financial crisis - Simon and Vanessa where doing the largest DA approval Coogee beach Sydney has ever seen by one person, Right on Beach St, located Nth end of Coogee beach next to the Pavilion hotel all waterfront, a large unit block with 4 large property’s behind backing onto the rear of Arden St, a massive site, Simon and Vanessa owning the front site and obtaining options on all rear properties. Simon and Vanessa just won a massive legal battle with Randwick council in the NSW State land and environment court costing close to $400,000 to date. While selling the DA approved site expecting to make several millions the GFC hit, At auction with only one purchaser, A gentlemen named David Mekler, doing a deal to just purchase and build the front site, (112 Beach St) dropping all the rear properties as too risky to develop during the GFC, Simon and Vanessa had to take the deal, dropping all that work and money, Still making a few million but not the very large earning that would have been.

Simon and Vanessa always positive took this as a good thing, A lot of people went broke into bankruptcy during this time, they still made a lot of money The same time watching their Pub ownership sky rocket, In a depression people always drink and gamble, on top of this people walk into a pub, pay cash up front, no chasing money or funny buggers, you as a pub owner then have 30 days to pay your Alchole invoices etc, Some would say the Perfect business!! Simon and Vanessa have never looked back, their core business and now very large Property and Pub business owners, currently doing the largest development by a private operator in Blacktown Sydney western suburbs, a 17 story Pub, Boutique hotel with 33 residential units on top, DA in process now being fast tracked due to Covid 19 and build starts May 2021, all going well.

Simon and Vanessa’s most recent business is in 2 boats. “Warana” (Original name Camden 1932-1940) then renamed Warana working out of Newcastle harbour. A 1932 classic original timber pilot boat been fully restored just recently by Simon with an amazing Australian working history, this gets rented out for movie and TV production The 2nd Boat, “Little John”, A pure fishing big game boat experience, Fishing charters for the ultimate experience in game fishing, Named Little john as there new hotel being built in Blacktown Pub will be called the Robin Hood hotel, A character from Robin Hood, also the name of Simons past Brother John, With a cheeky lookalike character logo fits well… Both located at RMYC - Point Piper marina