Going the Extra Mile
Milestone’s philosophy is to grow our clients’ wealth by getting to know our clients better. For the most part, investing success is simply a matter of asking the right questions and knowing what our clients’ expectations are. But you can’t achieve that without a desire to dig a little deeper, and that takes a special sort of person. Knowing what goals you have, within what time frame, and what lifestyle you want to achieve at the end of it, can’t be done by filling out a computer questionnaire or briskly conducted in a one hour interview. Knowing our clients creates a personal bond that drives us to do our job better. Here are some of the people from Milestone who believe in going the extra mile.
- Meet our Wanganui people
- Meet our Wellington people
- Meet our Levin people
- Meet our Wairarapa people
- Meet our Canterbury people
Our Wanganui People
Stephen Collier
GDBS (Personal Financial Planning), CFPCM, Member of the Institute of Financial Advisers
WANGANUI
Stephen Collier’s first career began in the UK with the British Police Force, where he honed his skills in investigation and clear communication, both essential skills in his future career in the investment sector. English by birth, Stephen spent 13 years as a Senior Sergeant, working with both city and rural communities and dealing with every aspect of life; from lost children to murder. After postings to corruption investigations and surveillance units, Stephen ran the Force’s communication centre, responsible for the command and control of all major incidents, with a resource of 3,000 officers.
Seven years as a single parent to two young boys, and the need to keep more regular hours, encouraged Stephen to seek a change and in his second career he took up retail management with a prestigious supermarket company in the south of England. Here the rigid disciplines of running a police command centre transferred to the systems of a growing supermarket enterprise, with its massive inventory needs and do-or-die reasons for delivering good service.
Married to Sian, the family moved to New Zealand in 1999 and settled in Wanganui, now living on the outskirts with two young adults having left the nest and a five year old remaining. When not working, Stephen enjoys a 40 acre farmlet, breeding pedigree cattle. Sian works in the community as a midwife.
Stephen joined, and soon became a shareholder in, Wanganui Investment Brokers Ltd., the company which has now evolved into Milestone. Stephen has completed a graduate Diploma in Business Studies in endorsed Personal Financial Planning. He takes an active role in national investment planning strategies. Milestone, with a combined funds under management of over $90 million, is one of a new generation of financial advice services.
Matthew Watt
BBS, Member of the Institute of Financial Advisers
WANGANUI
Mathew Watt grew up in Masterton and studied at Massey University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Economics and Finance. A degree as imposing as this gets the most mileage in a financial centre, so Mathew took himself to Auckland, where he was quickly snapped up by international insurance company Vero.
It didn’t take long for Mathew and his partner Melanie to decide that anything he could do in Auckland, he could do just as well, and more happily, in Wanganui. Mathew came to Milestone as Practice Manager fifteen months ago and is now well advanced in his study for a graduate Diploma in Personal Financial planning at his old university, Massey. He is transitioning to a full-time financial adviser, and we are actively introducing him to other young business professionals who help to make Taranaki’s economy boom.
Sarah Koubaridis
BBS, Member of the Institute of Financial Advisers
WANGANUI
Client Risk Adviser Sarah Koubaridis is a hand’s on person with a huge personality and an equal amount of energy for helping our clients find the right insurance solutions. She’s so good that we didn’t just hire her once; we hired her twice.In 2003, Sarah completed a Bachelor of Business Studies and began working for Milestone in Wanganui as an office administrator, quickly moving up to the role of Personal Assistant.
In 2005, the travel bug was calling and Sarah and her husband Mark travelled to Galway, Ireland, where Mark had a contract to play rugby. Sarah worked for a travel insurance company owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland and also in a gym helping with memberships.
After 18 months and two rugby seasons, Sarah was headhunted by Milestone as a career Risk Adviser. Sarah is mid-way through a Graduate Diploma in Business Studies endorsed in Personal Risk Management at Massey University. At the end of her first year as an adviser Sarah earned the title of Rookie of the Year with Sovereign Insurance.
Sarah thrives on pressure and loves a good challenge; she has a natural empathy with people which adds value to client relationships. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys travelling, meeting with friends and the beach. It’s great to have her back.
Our Wellington people
Stephen Fitzjohn
AIF®, Member of the Institute of Financial Advisers
WELLINGTON
Stephen Fitzjohn got his start in the competitive arena of retail management in the UK. Headhunted from one job to the next, Stephen’s rise was fast but ultimately took him further and further away from working with people, which he soon realised was where he received his greatest rewards.
When he did make the career move, it was to become a financial adviser, back in 1983. Stephen became a registered member of the Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation (LAUTRO), and in two consecutive years of the late 1980’s received the coveted Star Award for his services to clients and the industry.
Once again he was headhunted to join the largest independent financial advising company within Lincolnshire and became a registered individual with the Financial Intermediaries and Money Brokers Regulatory Authority (FIMBRA).
Whilst in this role Stephen was able to follow his long held wish to migrate to New Zealand.
Stephen’s talents were quickly recognised in his new home. He was employed by an insurance and investment company to give advice to their clients, and received their Adviser of the Year award in 1995. In 1997, Stephen saw that being independent was important for him, and that the best financial advice could never eventuate if the range of products and research was limited to just one provider. This led to the setting up of what was to become Milestone Financial Services, in Lower Hutt, Wellington.
Educated at Wisbech Grammar School, Stephen Fitzjohn was always interested in the investment arena, and at the age of 13 started his first regular part-time job, having previously earned money by mowing lawns and cleaning a bakery. Half of the income earned from these exertions was put into investments. By 22 Stephen had bought his first property with his partner, Patricia, and then embarked on its development, selling it as soon as a profit was realised.
Away from work, Stephen enjoys spending time with Patricia and their two children, playing golf, tramping, travel, following motor sports, socialising with friends and aiding the community at large through his involvement in Rotary International and other organisations. Soft-spoken and meticulous in everything he does, Stephen is a believer in openness and ethics in business, a dictum that made it easy to select the equally principled Stephen Collier as a business partner.
Our Levin people
Peter Tetzlaff
Dip Bus, Member of the Institute of Financial Advisers
LEVIN
Peter Tetzlaff is based in Levin, meeting clients based mainly in the the Horowhenua and Kapiti. A seasoned business builder himself, and a man who brought his family all the way from Europe to start a new life, Peter is well suited to self-employed investors or people looking to embrace big changes in their lives.
Born in Germany, Peter spent 16 years as General Manager of an international mail-order company with an annual turnover of $20 million and 50 staff.
In 1998 he moved to New Zealand looking for a lifestyle change. After building and selling a successful business in Levin, north of Wellington, Peter left the West Coast to pursue his long standing interest in the financial industry. An investor himself for 25 years, his passion for people and analytical mindset led him to become a financial adviser. He trained and worked for nearly 2 years for a big financial planning firm in Tauranga before joining the Milestone team.
Peter is well underway on his path to become a CFP with several courses completed and currently studying for the Business Diploma endorsed Personal Financial Planning at Massey University . Like all members of the Milestone team Peter takes every opportunity to participate in industry seminars and conferences to further his education and keep up with current developments.
Peter has been married to Sabine for 23 years with two children, Katharina, 21 and Robin, 19. Work and study take up most of his time, but he enjoys reading, playing the guitar, the arts and his newly found passion for golf.
Our Wairarapa people
Stephen Oldfield
BA (Econ.), Dip.Bus.Stud, (PFP), Member NZIFA
WAIRARAPA
Stephen Oldfield is the consumate financial planning professional. He has a degree in economics and spent a further three years completing a diploma in personal financial planning. Stephen left Massey University to manage the family business before putting his degrees to work as a partner for a local share-broking firm in 1996. The firm expanded to become a mortgage advisory business before Stephen and business partner, Mark Childs, instigated a management buyout.
Stephen is a great believer in having the best information to hand, and quickly introduced international financial research and porfolio methodology to the practice. He also led the charge against financial advisers accepting commissions from investment product companies. Stephen likes the relationship he has with his clients to be truly transparent and decisions to all be made for the right reasons. He is a very methodical and thorough planner and prides himself on his attention to detail.
A Wairarapa man born and bred, educated at Lansdowne School, Masterton Intermediate and Wairarapa College. Stephen is a keen sportsman. He played in the 1st XI cricket and 1st XV rugby throughout his school years, and in the 7th Form won both the senior athletics championship and senior golf trophy. He is still a keen golfer, but also active in squash and tennis. Stephen is married with three children and lives on a lifestyle block just a few minutes north of Masterton.
Our Canterbury people
Richard Holden
Graduate Diploma Bus Studies (PFP), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Fellow of the Institute of Financial Advisers (FIFA)
CANTERBURY
Richard Holden was educated at St. Bede’s College in Christchurch. After trying his hand at various occupations from truck driving in Western Australia to owning a painting and decorating business, Richard started with National Mutual (NML) at age 22. He spent 14 years with NML being part of the early development of the financial planning profession in New Zealand.
Richard has over 30 years experience in financial services, ranging from front line sales, sales management, regional management and company directorships. He has mentored many successful advisers and managers and continues to do so as part of his commitment to the financial planning and advisory industry. Outside of work Richard has been involved in rugby administration as past president of the Marist Rugby Football Club in Christchurch and a past member of the general committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union. Richard is married to Eileen, with three adult children, Rebecca, Daniel and Andrew. He is a keen golfer, reluctant gym attendee, rambler and not too adventurous mountain biker. He likes to get about in the wonderful New Zealand outdoors. He also likes recreational reading, harness racing, music and singing. Politically he rates himself right of centre, having served as Gerry Brownlee’s election campaign chairman.
Richard founded the forerunner of Milestone Financial Services (Canterbury) Ltd in May 1996. Richard has numerous industry and tertiary qualifications, the main ones being the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies endorsed in Personal Financial Planning and the New Zealand Diploma in Life Insurance. Richard holds the highest designation in the financial planning and insurance advisory colleges of the Institute of Financial Advisers. These designations being Certified Financial Planner (CFPcm) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) which are internationally recognised “best practice” certifications. These qualifications are much higher than the minimum qualification standards required to be an authorized financial adviser (AFA).
Richard Paynter
B.Com (Economics), B.Arts (Classical Studies), Dip Teach (Secondary) G. Dip. Bus Studies (PFP), Member of Institute of Financial Advisers (IFA)
CANTERBURY
Richard was educated at Christchurch Boys High School before attending Canterbury University. He joined the Milestone team in September 2006 as a Para-Planner and has since developed into a full-time role as a financial planner.
Richard has worked in a variety of industries both here and overseas. In the UK he worked in the hospitality industry for four years before returning to New Zealand where he completed his Diploma of Teaching in 1998. This followed by one year post teaching Economics and Social Studies at New Plymouth Girls’ High School. He realised during this time that although passionate about financial education, classroom teaching was not to be his ideal career path. The teaching experience helped him develop organisation, presentation, and relationship skills. The most important lessons to be gained from the teaching experience were the realisation that to provide effective education you must take a bottom-up approach rather than assuming a level of pre-existing knowledge, and that any student has as much to teach you as you have to teach them.
After marrying Heather, Richard moved to Wellington where he took a role in international banking with the ANZ. This involved the liaison between personal and corporate clients, foreign exchange traders and other international banks to coordinate the transfer of currency into New Zealand. In May 2001, Richard moved back to London where he held positions with both Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston. These roles were involved in investigations, client liaison, reconciliations and the settlement of OTC derivatives transactions.
Richard returned to New Zealand in 2004 where he was fortunate enough to spend two years as a Home-Dad to his twin children Ruby & James. He used this time to study toward a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (endorsed in Personal Financial Planning) from Massey University which was completed in 2008. He also did volunteer work as a budget adviser with the Christchurch Budget Service.
Richard’s education and his diversified career path, working in several industries and different countries, have provided him with a broad and deep financial knowledge base. His teaching experience has strengthened his relationship and education skills. Although relatively new to the financial planning industry, he is passionate about financial education and assisting people to realise their financial goals.
Outside of work he likes to spend as much time with Heather and their three children. When time is available he also plays hockey, mountain bikes, runs long-distance, reads, listens to music and catches up with friends.
Sally Reid
Bachelor of Business Studies
CANTERBURY
Sally is our insurance compliance manager as well as service manager for Ashburton. Sally had previously worked for the Ashburton based company Davidson Financial Services Limited (DFS). Her local knowledge and rapport with clients made her a valuable employee acquisition when Milestone took over servicing the DFS client base.
Sally has worked for several financial institutions in the UK and was compliance manager for a large fund management company in London during the mid 90s. She has experience in the field of management consulting and staff recruitment.
She has completed study toward a Diploma in Business Studies endorsed in financial planning through Massey University. Sally has opted to complete her Bachelor of Business studies degree which she achieved in 2009.
Sally has a great interest in traditional Irish and Celtic dance and was tour director for a group competing in London early in 2006.
Paul Robertson
B.Arts (Economics and Sociology)
CANTERBURY
Paul or “Robbie” as he is affectionately known attended Xavier College before completing his degree at Canterbury University. He has over 30 years experience in financial services.
He started work as a civil servant with the Forest Service and then with the Department of Education in accounting roles and latterly doing feasibility studies for building and development projects for growing school rolls. After three years working holiday, mainly in London, Paul returned to Canterbury and took up credit and accounting management roles with AGC Finance for 20 years. He joined Richard Holden at Caledonian Financial Services in 1993 as a financial adviser continuing on with him into Milestone. With his background experience he focuses on diversified fixed interest portfolios as well as property investments. This makes his off balance sheet insights very useful.
Paul is married to Alison and they have three sons, Iain, Ben and Cameron. While Iain has been a member of the Canterbury Cricket squad Paul has represented Canterbury rugby at colts level and was part of a South Island Marist squad. A Marist stalwart “Robbie” played club rugby beyond the age limits of most and took up coaching in his late thirties. He loves all sport and is an avid rugby and cricket supporter.
“Robbie” builds strong relationships with his clients taking the time to get to know their situation and being meticulous on the detail.
Bill Wilson
CANTERBURY
From a farming family and educated at Waitaki Boys High School in Oamaru, Bill’s working background is as a bank executive, having worked in various branches around the South Island. He has over 42 years experience in the financial services industry.
Bill joined the BNZ in 1966 working through the ranks and holding executive positions in personnel management, branch accountant and loans accountancy. During his 24 year service with the BNZ he married Jenny and the arrival of two daughters Lesley and Kate completed the family.
In 1989 he elected to take early retirement and took up a 50% shareholding in an insurance and mortgage broking company. In 1993 he sold his shares and joined Richard Holden at Caledonian Financial Services continuing on with him into Milestone. Bill specialises in insurance and mortgage solutions.
He is very involved in community service being an active current member and a past club president of Kiwianis. In younger days he was an age group representative in tennis and badminton. Nowadays he is into gardening, walking, being a TV sports couch potato and travelling to Australia to catch up with his high flying career daughters.
Sharyn Dale
CANTERBURY
Sharyn is our client care and compliance manager as well as Richard Holden’s PA.
She started with Milestone in 2001 helping build the customer relationship and management information systems. In a very real sense she is the “boss of the boss” running Richard’s diary and making sure he gets his priorities right with his time management.
Married to Tim they have two daughters Aimee and Katrina and a son Elliot. Sharyn came from a farming background in the Ellesmere district. She and Tim prefer the more rural and close knit community aspects of Rangiora where they live. As part of her work and lifestyle balance, Sharyn chooses to work on a part time basis. We are happy to have her as part of the Milestone team.
Her friendly and efficient approach ensures that the office is a happy one and that “best practice” processes are strictly adhered to. She takes a personal interest in client welfare and satisfaction.
In common with all Financial Edge staff she loves participating and watching sport.
Eileen Holden
CANTERBURY
Eileen looks after our accounts and database management. Her previous work experience has been with the Reserve Bank and in a branch management role with the Totalisator Agency Board. The latter role commenced after nearly 18 years as a full time mother. To keep her skills up and to give her time out from family, she worked part time as an on-course operator and supervisor for the TAB. Eileen also set up Milestones office systems at its very beginning in 1996. Working from home, she also did part time book keeping and accounts management for a number of small businesses.
Adept at using MYOB and other office software and information system packages Eileen provides the practical skills all offices need. She also has a wicked and somewhat spontaneous sense of humour.
Married to Richard Holden they have one daughter and two sons. Eileen is the “Anchor” of the Holden family. Taking up masters rowing, with other mothers, when their sons started rowing for St Bedes, Eileen was in a gold medal winning coxed four at the 2002 Masters Games in Dunedin. She went on to help form the “Red Blades” masters rowing club. She has also taken up hill walking and started a book club.