JOHN Monahan has come a long way from driving a delivery van to being one of the major property development identities in Swan Hill.
But along the way he's worn many hats, including being a factory worker, football administrator and hotel and cinema co-owner.
After leaving a civil engineering course at the Bendigo Institute of Technology, Mr Monahan returned to his hometown of Swan Hill, picking up a job driving a baker's delivery van.
Not surprisingly, the early starts weren't to his liking and he then ventured into an even more unlikely career move -- working in a tomato factory at Murray Valley Food Processing, opposite the Swan Hill pool.
"I enjoyed every moment of it but I really aspired to use the brain more than the body. I was keen to break out of the factory worker mould because I didn't think it would be something I'd enjoy doing for the rest of my life," Mr Monahan said.
After securing a role as an insurance clerk, Mr Monahan said he was approached by real estate agent John Gray, who offered him a position in his company's sales team.
"When I was offered the job by John Gray, the first question that struck me was 'what the hell does a real estate agent do?'" he said.
"It became my business passion for the rest of my working life."
Mr Monahan purchased John Gray and Son Real Estate in 1980, and franchised the business with LJ Hooker in 1984.
But the real turning point for the business came in 1990, when the owners of the Murray Downs estate decided to join the property development game and secured the services of LJ Hooker.
"(Murray Downs) was certainly a missing piece of the puzzle because Swan Hill did not have a New South Wales community of any substance -- we only had a Murray Downs industrial area. This created a residential area at the premium end," Mr Monahan said.
Mr Monahan said Murray Downs would be experiencing a "second surge" soon, with further residential developments set to take place.
The plan is to grow the estate, making it similar to Moama.
LJ Hooker's success with the Murray Downs project put them in prime position to take on the Tower Hill development, which began in 2004 during the reign of the Bracks Labor government.
The estate continues to grow and has become a popular option for new and existing residents looking to buy property in Swan Hill.
"Tower Hill has got a very distinct personality of its own and I think its going to be a very important part of Swan Hill for the foreseeable future," Mr Monahan said.
After three decades with LJ Hooker, Mr Monahan has also taken on representative roles outside the business, and is the president of the company's franchise owners council as well as a director of LJ Hooker franchising limited.
While property development has been his main focus, Mr Monahan was also involved in a syndicate that took over Swan Hill's Oasis complex in 1994.
The site had originally been created as a 1000-seat cinema and ballroom in the 1950s.
Over the years there were numerous owners, each bringing their own ideas and flavour to the site.
Tenpin bowling alleys and nightclubs came and went, and the cinema was also revamped and resized to fit industry requirements.
But like many cinemas around the country, it fell victim to modern times, and Mr Monahan said numerous factors contributed to its demise in 2007.
The introduction of videos and dvd piracy, as well as the home theatre revolution all played their part.
"There were people still going but there was not enough to justify the operating costs. The way the industry works, even if no-one turns up to the screening, we've got to run the film," he said.
"The Oasis was a very iconic institution in Swan Hill and formed an integral part of the hospitality industry in this community. I was very sad to see it go but when property owners are made an offer that is too good to refuse, the inevitable happens."
Away from his business life, Mr Monahan used his administrative skills in sport, and served as the director of the Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) for 18 years.
His dedication to the sport earned him an Order of Australia Medal in 1995.
But Mr Monahan said he wouldn't have been able to manage his business and sporting commitments if it wasn't for his loyal staff and family. He describes his wife Jennifer as "an absolute champion", and thanked his four daughters Lauren, Elise, Erin and Georgia for their support.
Having lived in Swan Hill for nearly all his life, there's no doubt that Mr Monahan has influenced the region through his business and property development work.
While he admits that at times he may be a 'workaholic', that's part and parcel of who he is.
"I've never been one to do what people conventionally see as relaxation. What I tend to do is switch off from one work environment and switch on to another," he said.
"I've always worked on the maxim that life's not about popularity, its about respect.
"If some take the view that I've achieved something and I've made a contribution, I'll be pleased about that. But I don't spend much time dwelling about what others might think."
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