Some quality time with Prime Super’s George Frangeskakis

Prime Super has an experienced team of regional managers and member service managers.

Regional managers have helped members and employers understand super and to get the most out of their fund.

Meet one of our regional managers from Victoria, George Frangeskakis.

Q: Tell us about George Frangeskakis outside of work. What are your interests and hobbies?

I love spending time with my wife, family, and friends. As ‘Uncle Fun’ I also cherish time with my adorable niece and two nephews.

My wife and I love walking together along the beach, in the country, down a groovy shopping strip, or in the concrete jungle of Melbourne.

Born in Melbourne, I love its history. I spend many hours walking its streets with a coffee in hand (I’m also a coffee tourist) taking photos of the streetscapes and quirky old buildings.

Like most of our capital cities, Melbourne is changing rapidly, and I want to record, as best as possible, how charming it was during my lifetime. I must have thousands of photos by now!

Visiting so many areas of Melbourne and regional Victoria also allows me to ‘people watch’.

Each suburb and town has its own unique characteristics which makes it so entertaining.

Q: What has been your professional career to date? How did you get into the superannuation game?

I have worked in many diverse industries.

I started as a waiter at the Hotel Sofitel while studying banking and finance and worked my way up to the position of sales conference manager. This five-star environment gave me the opportunity to deal with people from all backgrounds. The communication skills I learned have helped me all the way through my career.

My next role was with the Taxation Institute of Australia to co-ordinate the professional development program for Victoria and Tasmania. I then worked as membership manager at the Australian Retailers Association I enjoyed working closely with some of Australia’s most prominent retailers.

In these roles I dealt predominantly at the CFO and HR manager level, which gave me the opportunity to enter the superannuation industry.

I have now worked in the super industry for nine years and have been with Prime Super for four years. I am proud that my experience in super has been with ethical and hardworking funds which have placed paramount importance on the interests of their members.

Q: Coronavirus has changed the way we work. How have you dealt with the situation?

I always prefer speaking to people face-to-face, but improvements in technology have meant that during lockdown we have more communication options available to us than making a telephone call.

I have often ended a day acknowledging that I am ‘Zoomed-out’. Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams have enabled us to connect with colleagues, employers and members in a more personable manner.

Many of our employers have embraced these technologies. They have also looked to us to provide direction and assistance to their staff via online presentations and/or one-on-one online consultations with our friendly member solutions team.

These exciting technologies will now be part of our working lives.

Q: What is the most common question from members and what has been your response?

The question I am most frequently asked is “how do I create my ‘MemberOnline’ account?”

A MemberOnline account is really useful as it allows members to update their contact details, get their latest account balance and contributions, review their investment choice, make personal contributions and amend insurance cover - all online. Members can also find and consolidate other super accounts into their Prime Super account, saving them from paying duplicate fees, and nominate beneficiaries to have their say on who receives their super and insurance benefits should they pass away.

Even though creating an account only takes a few minutes, I often have a giggle when I speak to members that tell me they planned to get around to it shortly.

There is always the need for the encouragement and confidence to take that step, whether a member is computer savvy or not, or have English as their first language. When they do take that step, I will be there to help them.

When members create an online account, there is no doubt that ‘ownership’ of their account helps them be more engaged with their super.

Q: What do you love about your job?

I love meeting and helping people. I get enormous satisfaction when I see someone realise the importance of their superannuation and make the conscious decision to actively engage with their financial future.

With each new person that understands a bit more about superannuation (whether Prime members or not), I feel that I am doing my bit for Australia as a whole.

Being a regional manager for Prime Super also offers me the best of both. I have my time in Melbourne and also have the opportunity to travel around this wonderful state. I see so many great places and meet so many amazing people from all walks of life.

Q: Why do you enjoy working with RCSA and our member base?

There is no doubt that the RCSA and its members contribute so much to the prosperity of Australia.

The hard-working people that work in the recruitment space are dynamic and I admire how each person I have spoken to is so passionate about their industry.

The RCSA folk are also a lot of fun!