Michael F Klaassen born in Otahuhu in 1956,graduated from Otago University, New Zealand with an MBChB in 1980. He qualified as a plastic surgeon in 1990 with FRACS, before working in the UK, Europe and Australia for three years. After a decade in the Waikato and half a decade in Sydney, he returned to Auckland in 2008 and opened Parnell Surgeon in April 2012. He now has six visiting clinics in New Zealand. Dr. Klaassen coaches trainees for the final fellowship exam and has been a volunteer plastic surgeon with Interplast Australia & New Zealand since 1990.
Earle Brown was born in Otago and graduated from Otago University, New Zealand with an MBChB in 1960. He initially trained in general surgery, gaining the FRCS, and subsequently in plastic surgery, gaining the FRACS in 1970. He trained under Sir William Manchester and Mr John Williams before heading to Glasgow and returning to Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, where he was a cosultant plastic surgeon from 1970 to
2005, including roles as Head of Department and Director of Surgery. He has been retired from active plastic surgery for a number of years but is still active in teaching and writing with Michael Klaassen.
Felix Behan was born in Queensland, graduated in medicine from University of Queensland in 1964, and trained in plastic surgery under Sir Benjamin Rank in Melbourne, gaining his FRACS in 1970. He then spent time in London Hospital clinical posts and as a Nuffield research fellow at the RCS, investigating the vascularity of tissue flaps. He returned to Melbourne as Sir Benjamin`s aide de camp and as a consultant plastic surgeon at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute and The Western Hospital, where he served as Chief of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery for many years. In his retirement he is still a tireless writer and enthusiastic teacher of plastic surgery, one of its greatest legacies.
