A journey to a super fund that feels human

David Coles’ career has been shaped by change, purpose and a willingness to follow what matters most. 

He spent 23 years in the wine industry, building a career that took him from Adelaide to Melbourne and Tasmania, and back to Adelaide again. Then, he made a bold shift into a completely different field: employment services. Two careers, two very different purposes. 

It was through employment services that David found his true niche, supporting people with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, and older Australians. This passion led him into disability employment and to Epic Assist. And the travelling didn’t stop. David worked across Melbourne, Canberra and the Gold Coast, setting up new businesses for Epic Assist, before finally making his home in Cairns. Today, he has spent nearly as many years in disability employment as he did in the wine industry.  

“I’ve had two major careers, spending almost the same amount of time in both. I’ve been so fortunate to live and work in so many different states, doing things I love and feel passionate about. It’s been an absolute joy to be in this (disability and recruitment) industry and now to be able to live and work in paradise – it’s a dream.” 

Like many people, David admits he hadn’t given his superannuation much thought for most of his career. 

“It’s one of those things you just accept as part of your journey,” he says. “It wasn’t until I joined the Board of Disability Employment Australia that I really started paying attention.” 

In 2022, while serving on the Board, David met Mark Wall and Gil Sebbag when they presented on behalf of Prime Super. The experience left a lasting impression. 

“I was enormously impressed by their approach and, above all, their humanity. It was immediately clear that this was an organisation built around people.” 

“Moving my super to Prime Super wasn’t a hard decision. Human connection is important to me, and the team genuinely took the time to get to know me. The ability to build real relationships like that is extraordinary, and I feel incredibly privileged to have that connection with the Prime Super team.” 

He was especially thrilled when Prime Super became Epic Assist’s default fund. 

“I’ve got such a high opinion of Prime Super. I was absolutely delighted when that happened. Whenever people ask me about super, I tell them to give Prime Super a ring.” 

Three months into his time in Cairns, David made the life changing decision to settle and buy his own property. 

“I had been renting for quite some time, and I wasn’t enjoying that. When the opportunity came up, I was able to access my super to help me buy my home. The process with Prime Super was straightforward and honestly one of the easiest interactions I’ve ever had with an organisation."

For David, home ownership marked an important milestone, giving him a permanent place to call home and the stability he was looking for. 

“As I head into retirement, I’ve been fortunate to rely on the Prime Super team for support along the way. I’ve always been able to get the information and answers I need, and the ability to speak to a real person is something I truly value at Prime Super.”  David Coles, Prime Super member (since 2022).