Jon and Leanne Dooley

Accountant and Designer

Husband and wife, Jon and Leanne Dooley, both attended State High  and graduated in the class of 1984.  Jon is executive chairman of Vincents, a Chartered Accounting firm he co-founded in 1991, and  Leanne (nee Cassimatis) is designer and creator of a sustainable jewellery brand, Apartment 5B, using upcycled industrial offcuts and vintage finds with her sisters Irina and Karen (Classes of 1986 and 1988).  

After school, Jon completed a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) at QUT, with his first real job as a graduate accountant at KMG Hungerfords (now KPMG). After four years at KPMG, he went into partnership with a friend and they started their own specialist forensic accounting firm, Vincents. Thirty years on, the business is still going strong.

Leanne studied dentistry at University of Queensland straight out of school and worked in private practice before having the couple's four children. Leanne's heart was never in dentistry and she had always regretted not following her passion for design.

"Having grown up designing and making all my own clothes, my creative side was certainly helpful as a mum being heavily involved in our children's school event organization etc. A love for improvisation and repurposing items, together with a love for vintage shopping (began during my BSHS years) finally brought me to this new career as the last of our children finished school a few years ago".

Both Jon and Leanne treasure their State High memories.  For Jon,  he remembers just sitting in the top quadrangle talking rubbish with his mates, the competitive nature of the school and his life long friends (including his wife of 30 years). For Leanne, she thinks of the excitement and incredible school spirit at GPS and QGSSSA athletics, swimming, rugby and Head of the River and attending the professional school musical productions such as Jesus Christ Superstar, the friends that she made who remain her closest friends to this day and choosing such a great formal partner!!!!

Jon has fond memories of Mr Luke Remedios who coached him in cricket. He was a super competitive and inspirational coach who was also a very funny man and Mr Brian Hambrecht, who could be tough at times but got the best out of most of his students. Although she loved maths and science, Leanne recalls her English teachers, Jenny Cranston and John Culloty, as those who inspired her creativity and ignited her passion and confidence to be an individual.

Both Jon and Leanne were heavily involved with sport at State High.  Jon is still heavily involved in cricket through his association with Wests and as a board member of Queensland Cricket.  Leanne runs most days, surfs every week and is also an avid reader.

Jon and Leanne offer the following advice to current students: "Back yourself, work hard and have a crack!  Follow your passions and you will excel if you are doing something you love. Be flexible, be able to reinvent yourself and don't be afraid to grab any opportunities that may come your way. It's the unexpected ones that can be the most exciting and challenging but will invariably bring the biggest rewards".