Graeme Lindsay: death of a life industry stalwart

As a teenager, Lindsay had joined the army as a cadet in 1965 but was then diagnosed with Hodgkins disease, which he managed to beat with radiotherapy.

But the army medically discharged him and, after an attempt to study at university was disrupted by his ongoing hospital treatment, he applied for and got a job with the MLC Insurance company in Auckland.

Clearly, he'd landed in his element: in 1975, he earned the highest aggregate marks for the NZ Diploma of Life Insurance and the Al Pitts Award and by 1977 had become involved in his industry association (now incorporated into Financial Advice New Zealand).

He became the association's youngest junior vice-president at age 29 in 1978 and served as national president between 1981 and 1983.