Lindsay Joseph Cutler
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Growing up in Queensland, Lindsay attended Church of England Grammar School in Brisbane where he played rugby union in the school seconds and became the stroke of the school rowing eight. He was a strong muscular guy who systematically would do weight training each morning following his own carefully constructed routine.
He completed secondary schooling before moving to Melbourne in 1965, where he completed an economics degree at Monash University. Lindsay was conscripted into the Australian army for National Service and after initial training at Puckapunyal in Victoria was selected for an officers’ course. On completing his training he was posted to Canberra as a lieutenant for the remaining 18 months of his service.
While in Canberra he attended ANU and completed his Master’s degree in economics. Following part-time correspondence studies Lindsay gained the London Institute of Actuaries Certificate in Investments in 1975 and eventually qualified as a Fellow of the Institutes of Actuaries in London and Australia in October 1982. Some years later he completed the necessary requirements to become a Certified Financial Planner and was a member of the Financial Planning Association.
CAREER
After leaving the army, Lindsay joined National Mutual in 1972 before later switching to Sedgwicks (insurance brokers and superannuation consultants). In 1986 he was to become a partner in Financial Synergy where he was the partner specialising in superannuation administration and investment. There he jointly partnered in the establishment of Top Quartile Investment Trust in 1987 (the year of the stock market crash). That background was to become the seed which later lead him into providing financial advice to individuals, particularly those leaving funds that he was administering.
From 1992 to 1995 Lindsay was the Actuarial Consultant to the Tasmanian Government and the public servants’ Retirement Benefits Fund where he was known to provide sound and innovative advice.
In 1995 he joined Mitchell & Co as a Consulting Actuary and Lynken Investments/Counsellors as a Financial Planner. The latter relationship continued until June 2012 when it became necessary for him to transfer to another AFS license holder.
In his earlier career Lindsay was a respected and well liked leader who was appreciated for his care, concern and assistance in his staff’s work. Later in his career he was involved in face to face advising in which his discretion in keeping the confidentiality of his clients’ affairs combined with his sound advice, earned him great respect with all his clients.
PRIVATE LIFE OUTSIDE THE PROFESSION:
Family
The eulogies at Lindsay’s memorial service revealed the importance of family to him and the wider Cutler family. He was recognised as the academic one among the five siblings. Together with his wife Ros, they raised four children, two sons and two daughters and were proud grandparents to four grandchildren. Because at work Lindsay was a private person, those eulogies also gave much information not otherwise known to his actuarial colleagues. Some of that is recorded below.
Scouting
Lindsay was deeply involved in the scouting movement where not only did he learn basic skills of life and survival but was recognised for his considerable talents and contributions to the movement. In 1963 he was awarded the highest honour of the scouting movement, the Queen Scout Award which was bestowed by the Governor of Queensland. In subsequent years he went on to provide over 20 years of leadership in his local area of Vermont South which was recognised by his being presented with the highly prized Silver Arrowhead award presented by the Governor of Victoria for his outstanding leadership to the scouting movement.
Trekking
It was about 2005 when Lindsay had a health issue which brought him to recognise that life cannot be taken for granted. Subsequently he embarked on the first of numerous overseas treks which included the Kokoda Trail (carrying his own 25 kg pack unassisted to personally experience the Australian soldiers’ trials and difficulties) which was by far his most arduous trek.
Other treks included the Inca Trail in Peru, the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal (with daughter Georgie), the Queen Charlotte track in NZ, Mont Blanc in Europe (with son Ben) and Mount Kilimanjaro. His most recent and final adventure was finished just four weeks before his sudden passing which was an eighteen day coast to coast walk across England (with brother Warren/’Rodge’) from west to east, a distance of around 330 kms.
His brother said that in his trekking, he was a person who was at all times in complete control, who followed his detailed notes and directions meticulously. He was careful when it became difficult, he would assist with directions and help when others got into difficulty. He would carefully use his pole to ensure footing ahead was firm, calling on all the resources he had learnt as both an actuary and a queen scout so many years earlier and keeping conversation interesting with his views on world economic problems and what was needed to fix them.
Personal Attributes
Lindsay was recognised as one who prepared and walked his treks the same way he undertook his life. He was highly organised, was a disciplined character who never undertook anything without appropriate preparation. He was practical in his approach to problem solving, meticulous in paying strict attention to detail, never panicked, but remained calm and carefully considered at all times. His protection of those in his care was paramount in his family, his trekking companions and his actuarial and financial advice clients.
He will be greatly missed by his colleagues as well as his wife and family to whom we extend sincere condolences.
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