"Aussie" John Symond has accepted an invitation to open the AP&H Societies 133rd Annual Show.

"It is exciting news," said AP&H Secretary, Paul Anderson.

"John has achieved terrific goals during his lifetime in the home loan and mortgage broking industry".

John Symond, Executive Chairman of Aussie, was born in Crookwell.

His father Joe conducted a fruit shop business here.

His grandfather, Simon Symond, owned a trucking business on the local iron mine. He transported the iron ore from the mine (near the water works) to the steam engines on our local railway.

John's uncle, also named John, drove trucks on the iron mine along with his brother. He was an accomplished rugby league player, playing for Crookwell rep teams in 1944 and was a member of the Crookwell all conquering premiership winning team.

John was born in Crookwell where his family had lived since his grandparents arrived in Australia in the mid 1920s.

They then moved to Brisbane and later made their home in Sydney's west.

After a near miss with financial failure after the 1987 crash John subsequently emerged as one of Australia's most inspiring businessmen.