John has a deep interest in regional and rural issues, and as Mayor of the Scenic Rim Regional Council in South-East Queensland, is heavily involved in the local community. He has more than 40 years experience in vegetable production and has spent the last 30 years balancing his business life with his work in local government.

John has served on a number of boards, and is currently a Board Director for the Queensland state horticultural body, Growcom, a Board Member of Local Government Mutual Queensland, Deputy Chair of the Council of Mayors in South-East Queensland and was an inaugural director of Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).

He is also a director of Bunny Bite Foods, a family-owned business that grows and processes vegetable crops for a diverse range of markets.

John believes that there has been a great base established by the previous board, with two arms of AUSVEG—the desire for enhanced R&D and the issues surrounding advocacy for industry.

"We are developing a new team with new directors and our administrative wing, to work closely with Horticultural Australia Limited (HAL) and Horticulture Australia Council (HAC) to achieve these goals. We need to put our resources where we can best add value and ensure we are not doubling-up on the efforts of others. There has never been a more challenging time for industry as a whole, but in particular the horticulture industry. These challenges encompass fertiliser, fuel and labour charges along with the value of the Australian dollar, which all have a major impact on most of our input costs," John says.

John hopes to bring the vegetable industry closer together, which he believes is achieved through "interaction, advocacy and integration from the grower through to retail with strong advocacy on behalf of growers".

John was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in January 2007 and became Chairman in November 2008.

For the past 40 years Geoff has grown fresh and processed potatoes in the Riverina area of NSW for crisping and fresh markets. He is a member of the Horticultural Committee of the NSW Farmers Association, and is very keen to improve the percentage of retail dollar that is delivered to growers.

"When I first started growing potatoes, the percentage was much larger than it is today and everybody seems to be able to justify a larger share leaving the grower with much less at the end," Geoff says.

Geoff is also concerned about the availability of water throughout Australia, especially the Murray-Darling Basin, which after years of drought is in a dire condition."The handling of water in general, with irrigation supplies needs to be closely observed by both growers and government." He fears that growers may find themselves having difficulty in retaining the water rights that they have already secured with the Australian Government, something that he hopes to improve for industry.

Geoff was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in 2004 and is the longest-serving current director.

Paul is the Office Manager of Bogdanich Farms, a third-generation, family-owned business located in Gingin, 100 kilometres north of Perth. He commenced there in 2005, joining his brothers, Andrew and Michael.

With previous experience in architectural drafting and information technology, Paul has implemented new technologies on-farm, including the automation and streamlining of various processes and systems.

Paul has worked closely with consultants from government and non-government agencies on issues relating to the environment, water, biosecurity, quality assurance and on-farm best practice. He has broad industry knowledge and a greater understanding of a number of issues that affect Australian primary producers.

Paul was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in 2009.

For the past 15 years John has been the Managing Director of Fresh Select, a production/marketing company in Victoria and Queensland that supplies a wide range of vegetables to local and overseas markets. John participated in the Australian Rural Leadership Program in 2008, and is also a member of the Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) and Chairman of the Consumer Advisory Group.

He hopes to see the vegetable industry create a sustainable future for farmers and better value for Australian consumers. “The industry needs to engage the supply chain; this is for the benefit of grower’s right through to consumers. Growers have to be at the beginning and at the end of this process in order for whole of industry to benefit,” John says.

John was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in November 2008.

Romeo is the Production and Marketing Manager for Rainbow Fresh, a family owned business that grows and packages fresh salads, fresh herbs, hydroponic lettuce and Asian vegetables on the northern Adelaide plains. He has a Bachelor of Management, with majors in Marketing and Human Resources. Romeo is Deputy Chairman of the Virginia Horticulture Centre (VHC) and has served on the VHC Board for four years. He is also a Board Director of the Virginia Irrigation Association and the Adelaide Plains Grape Growers Association. Romeo is a member of the South Australia-grown Steering Committee and a South Australian commodity group Chair.

"I am on the AUSVEG Board because I believe the industry shows a lot of potential for future growth. Environmental factors including water shortages have constrained the expansion and development of our industry and its members - that is the growers. I don’t think that the political arena gives enough consideration to the importance of the horticultural industry, given the necessity of food. Politicians and consumers need to be reminded of the necessity and importance of growers in Australia—whether they’re producing lettuce in Werribee or marrow in Manjimup", Romeo says.

Romeo was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in June 2008.

Elizabeth has a breadth of practical business, commercial and financial experience gained over the past 25 years. She has held senior management roles in several organisations and has consulted across a variety of industries including government, financial, telecommunications, utilities and professional services.

Most recently, Elizabeth was appointed to the position of Lecturer in Accounting at La Trobe University and is noted for her ability to implement rigorous financial and governance protocols, commercial expertise, and ability to adapt skills to many industries.

"I look forward to a future where AUSVEG will provide greater benefits to its members and industry as a whole" Elizabeth said.

Chair of the AUSVEG Finance and Audit Committee, Elizabeth was appointed to the AUSVEG board in December 2008.

Mark has 25 years experience in Australian agribusiness, 17 of them in horticulture. He was Managing Director of the Australian Horticultural Corporation from 1998 to 2001, and a member of the Steering Committee of government and industry representatives that oversaw the formation of Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).

Presently, he is CEO of Windsor Farm Foods Group, which manufactures canned mushrooms, potatoes, seed beans, green beans, asparagus, diced and sliced fresh apple, soups and salad dressings.

Mark’s background extends along the supply chain from grower to retailer, both domestic and international. He has experience in finance, marketing and general management, and has developed strong working relationships with all levels of government.

Mark was appointed to the AUSVEG Board in 2009.