Preserving History and I put a face to a name

In 1982 I joined the loss adjusting firm of MBS Pumfreys in Brisbane. Frederick Pumfrey being one of the first loss adjusters in Brisbane. He had long retired and from memory he had passed away before I stared in insurance in 1971.

Despite working for a firm that bore his name I had never seen a photograph of him. It was therefore a pleasant surprise when I walked into the office of Narelle Handley that I saw a print showing the photographs of the first committee of the Institute of Fire Loss Assessors of Australia, which included a photograph of Mr Pumfrey) bottom left, as the Queensland committee member. Narelle had been given the document by the Jacobi Family in recognition of her work as Chairperson for the Victoria Division AICLA.

This Institute had morphed into the Australasian Division of the Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters by the time I had joined MBS Pumfreys.

I recall the rigour of the examinations to become a Chartered Loss Adjuster, studies that still hold me in good stead after nearly 37 years in the profession. That all came from this group of individuals determined to improve the professionalism in loss adjusting.

I just wished it had not taken so long to finally put a face to the important name in my career.