Gregory Lewis Teal worked as a stock and station agent, mostly around the New England area, for over 50 years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's a five-decade long career that recently earned him a life membership with Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association.
Mr Teal's family members, friends, former colleagues and clients met for an intimate gathering at See Saw Café in Armidale to celebrate his incredible journey.
Co-workers said he had been a joy to work with and boasted a wealth of knowledge.
Mr Teal served on the ALPA PD & E committee from 2004 until 2013.
He was a Councillor of the NSW Stock and Station Agents Association from 1997 until 2003 and a member of the member of the NSW Stock and Stations Agents Association PD & E Committee from 2000 to 2004 prior to the inauguration of ALPA.
ALPA Chief Executive Officer Peter Baldwin and ALPA life member the Hon Thomas George presented Mr Teal with his life member award.
Others who paid tribute included renowned producers, Fred Bell, James Harris "Abington", Chancellor University of New England and close friends and fellow agents Andrew Star, Ray White Rural Armidale and Guyra, Geoff Leedham and Rob Toole.
In nominating Mr Teal for life membership to ALPA, former president of what was known as the NSW Stock and Station Agents Association, Rob Toole, praised Mr Teal's unselfish dedication over many years to the up-and-coming youth of the industry.
"I remember when he was offered a position on the Professional Development and Education Committee," Mr Toole said.
"His response was, that he would be honoured to have the opportunity to put something back into the benefit of our membership and of course the opportunity to work with our budding young auctioneers.
"It gives me great pleasure in asking for the board's support in assessing the worthiness of this great agent for the much-valued input that he injected into our industry by way of a life membership."
As a mentor, Mr Teal was supportive and encouraging and took many youngsters under his wing to teach them the ropes, mentoring in all facets of the stock and station industry from drafting to presenting sale stock, to tutoring the art of auctioneering.
Mr Teal started his career in 1964 with AML&F in Shepparton.
He moved to Armidale in 1985 to begin work with Garde Wilson, then went out on his own and formed Greg Teal Livestock in 1993.
Andrew Star worked alongside Mr Teal for eight years including a four-year partnership at Ray White Rural and said the personal recognition and industry accolades are thoroughly deserved.
"I saw first hand the high level of respect and loyalty Mr Teal afforded with his clients," Mr Star said.
"A measure of this is the fact that many of his long-term clients have transitioned from day-to-day dealings of doing business into long term family friends.
"Mr Teal's success in the industry centres around his values of being honest, direct and straight forward.
"With industry connections far and wide and a large network, Mr Teal's integrity meant substantial deals could be made from a single phone call."