Past Presidents: Simon Fuller

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In its 20-year history, FCANZ has benefited from the wisdom, guidance and dedication of six different Presidents. WIRED’s Rosa Watson talked to four of them about the challenges of setting up an incorporated society from scratch, gaining traction with members and corporate partners, their individual focuses as President, and the satisfaction of contributing to the Association’s success.

Simon Fuller

FCANZ President, 2006 - 2009; and 2013 - 2016

Putting his hand up to lead the first FCANZ board and start the organisation from scratch was a leap into the unknown for Simon Fuller.

He was the first president of the incorporated society that was formed in 2006, having been a part of a steering committee to get the organisation off the ground.

He served again as president from 2013 to 2015, before stepping down from the board to open it up to some fresh blood with new ideas.

He was heavily involved in the formation of FCANZ, with the concept being put together a couple of years earlier by industry stalwarts George Schuler, Wayne Newdick and Nick Liefting.

“When one looks at the origins of FCANZ, they need to appreciate it arose from the fencers meeting at the Fieldays fencing competitions and the fencing competitions competitors themselves, such as George, Wayne and Nick.”

These three men, along with Simon and Rob Best, made up the first committee.

“We were fencing contractors. We weren’t corporate board people or anything like that.

“We were trying to lift the standards of fencing as a whole in the country.”

They pushed for a national qualification through the Primary ITO organisation, and provided feedback on its formation, which was accepted into the final framework.

Simon says the reason that these early ideas got off the ground and gained traction was largely due to the backing of commercial partners, namely WIREMARK, that provided personnel who had the vision to help develop the structure of FCANZ, alongside Warren Grayson and Donna McKay.

“It takes a lot of people to get something off the ground. You need multiple people getting things happening in different avenues.”

At the time, Donna was the WIREMARK marketing assistant.

“Without WIREMARK’s financial input and support, I feel FCANZ would never have gotten off the ground, at least around that time period,” Simon says.

Goldpine also came on board as a foundation partner alongside WIREMARK, and both companies had a representative on the committee, helping set up the organisational structure and communication channels to start bringing the industry together.

Back then, WIRED was an eight-page newsletter put together by Donna. It was when Debbie White came onto the committee with a proposal to turn WIRED into an industry magazine that it became the publication it is today, Simon remembers.

Reflecting on its 20 years, Simon believes FCANZ has helped to lift workmanship and bring together fencers in what was previously a rather lonely occupation, and provided opportunities to meet other like-minded people.

“While social media has had its impact on connections, there is nothing like meeting and talking in person.”

He says the future and growth of the fencing industry are reliant on bringing in new labour.

“And for those people to last in the industry, it needs to offer a career.”

He sees introducing apprenticeships as a route towards this.

“Having previously put two of my workers through a modern apprenticeship, I remain convinced that the modern apprenticeship is a valuable tool for attracting and hopefully retaining such people in the fencing industry.

“Training and educating young guys into the industry is probably a passion of mine. I love seeing young guys coming through and making it.

“I’d really like to see an avenue for young people getting into the industry ... how can we as an industry attract these guys into it, getting those young, keen and enthusiastic guys coming onto the fenceline.”

He says the highlights of his time on the board were the people he met along the way.

“From fellow fencers to corporate people, the friendships that I made and the networking were a big highlight.”

He is grateful to commercial partners and supporters of FCANZ over the past 20 years.

“You have helped to grow the structure and offerings of benefits. It should be recognised that you have all contributed in some way towards the unity of a fencing industry and lifting it from what was, predominantly a part-time occupation, into a tangible business model based on a skilled trade.”