ALAN FELTON

ALAN FELTON

After an undistinguished 4 years at NSBH – where without doubt the single greatest teacher influence on me was Arthur Henry, in 1957 I became a challenge to parents (and teachers) and was sent for my 5th year to Boarding School – the Scots School (TSS) at Bathurst.

Interesting contrast as TSS – mostly “bush“ kids – many strugglers academically. When I got by 4 Bs it was considered special.

Oddly, I am still very close to a string of schoolmates from there.

No further education – a series of jobs in a semi-planned way, to get a variety of business experience before joining my father at 21 in the small family export trading business.

Then, in my late 20’s my father entered semi retirement and I took over the business.

Enjoyed modest success, founded a separate professional design business, and commenced our business activities in the US in the late 60’s., which continued thru the 70’s and early 80’s, to the point when we decided to move there in 1989.

In 1972 did the smartest thing I ever did and married Pamela who I still love madly but whom I still do not understand! Friends tell me that is normal!
She is far more than wife and mother to our offspring – we had 4 children – 3 survive Peter (32) David (28) and Rory (26).
She has been and still is my partner in business – or more correctly – businesses.

Our boys were of course in elementary and middle (that is US Midwest terminology for early High School) and then have gone on to various (expensive US) Universities.
Their mother being the smartest of us all went off and did her MBA at night several years ago.

We have lived as a family in the US since 1989 and our ties to Australia are now somewhat tenuous.
We chose for business and personal reasons to locate in Kansas City, on the Kansas side, and that was a sound decision. We have had some ups and downs, but living here is really great. Its a little Adelaide like – not too big and not too small, surprisingly cosmopolitan, easy to get around and centrally located.

Our last (sold in May 2008),(15 years) business was Felton Medial, Inc that functionef as an importer and distributor nationally of animal health products.

In 1997 we founded another related business, Felton International (trade name now Pulse) which is involved in the design, manufacturing and marketing of needle-free injection systems for animals and humans.

The basis of that entity’s technology was actually developed over many years by the Russian Military, and we organized a complex international transfer of technology and some key personnel from what was the USSR, now Russia.
The US and Russian Governments were involved and our lawyer always tells us that it was by far the most interesting transaction that he has ever been involved with – unsaid he also did quite well out of it!

We do have a full life here, with business, Church and a variety of other volunteer activities –
Pamela is working towards a slow down, but I am pretty much hobby less, and most mornings wanting to get up and go at it.

Our boys seem a long way from settling so without grandchildren we rattle around in our (too) big 5 bedroom home with our two Shih Tzu dogs and a cat.

So we have tons of room – and it really is a great city to visit – not so good for Aussies in winter with 12” snow – but at other times excellent and anyone is welcome to come and stay – do plan on renting a car though – Public transport is not any good.

We travel a lot and Kansas City is beautifully central and Europe only 7 hours away still with some cheap fared. I went to Germany for a short trip several weeks ago and the round trip KC Frankfurt was $380!

I must tell the story of how we linked into the big October event.
I was talking to my wife commenting that 1958 was 50 year anniversary of NSBHS and maybe I should enquire – and then a few days later – I was in an airport lounge in Washington DC and got talking to this good looking intelligent lady who mentioned that she was on her way to Australia for a conference.
She sod “you probably have no idea where this conference is - its at Terrigal” – what was staggering is that that’s where my dad retired and my brother has lived there for some 30 years.
So I arranged for her to call him (my brother) if she had time.
Then, a few days later I get and email from Phil Gough asking if I was me = he turned out to be one fo the Terrigal Conference organizers, and then he went on to explain ablut the 50 year reunion event
Real life beats fiction every time doesn’t it?