Support for
Growth

Reg Weine (BBus, GAICD, CPM) joined APAL as a Non-Executive Director on March 1, 2020. Reg has 25 plus years’ experience in agri-food and fast-moving consumables, including 10 years as Managing Director/CEO. Reg is the Chair of The Pastoral Pork Company and is also the Chairman of Maggie Beer Holdings (ASX:MBH) that owns Maggie Beer, Paris Creek Farm and St David Dairy brands. Prior to joining Maggie Beer, Reg was the Managing Director of SPC, Australia’s largest fruit processor. Before joining SPC Reg was Chief Executive Officer at Bulla Dairy Foods, Australia’s largest privately-owned dairy business. In 2014 Bulla received the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW – Presidents Medal as “Australia’s Food Producer of the Year.” Reg is also on the Board of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and is Chair of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Reg is a past Board Member of the Australia Food & Grocery Council (AFGC) and Chair of the AFGC’s Sustainability Committee. Reg has a B. Bus from Monash University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and is a Certified Practising Marketer with the Australian Marketing Institute.

Mr. Fairless was appointed to the Board on 21 October 2016 representing Australian pear growers. Chris is a well-known member of the apple and pear industry, commencing his career with the Fairless Group of Companies where he was Managing Director and oversaw operations of orchards, cold storage, logistics and transport in both Victoria and Tasmania. Present responsibilities include advisory and Executive and Non-Executive Board positions including membership of Australian Institute Company Directors, previous roles include President of the Shepparton Fruit Growers Association and the Apple & Pear Growers Association of Australia. Chris has worked closely with national retailers and has a sound knowledge of the entire supply chain through past and present roles with Geoffrey Thompson Fruit Packaging Co Pty Ltd, Radevski Cool Stores, National Fresh a division of the Costa Group and warehouse and logistics provider Kyabram Cold Storage.

Mr. Ceravolo is an apple grower from South Australia and has been a Director since 2015. Giuseppe, better known as Joe, is a director of Ceravolo Orchards and a third-generation orchardist who joined the family business in 1992 after completing a Mechanical Engineering Degree at Adelaide University. He manages several orchards owned by the family across the Adelaide Hills, mainly focusing on more than a hundred hectares of apples and ten hectares of cherries. Joe is also a director of the family’s juicing company, Ashton Valley Fresh, as well as being a director of Ashton Co-operative Society.

Jake Norris has been CEO of Hansen Orchards since 2016, leading a fourth-generation, vertically integrated family business of growers, packers and marketers.  Prior to his role at Hansen Orchards, Jake worked with professional services firm KPMG where he advised businesses from multiple sectors, from large to small, and he brings strong financial experience to his work as CEO of Tasmania’s largest apple and cherry producer. Jake understands all levels of the supply chain across multiple produce categories. He is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (University of Tasmania) and Grad Dip of Accounting (Deakin University).  Jake also sits on the Tasmanian Regional Council of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand (CAANZ). 

Mark Scott is a director of Nannup Fresh Fruit Pty Ltd, farming in the Blackwood River valley close to Nannup 280km south of Perth with his family. Mark has worked in the horticulture industry since 1992, including a season in the USA, and has been in industry advocacy roles since 1996. In 2015, Mark became a committee member of PomeWest – the representative and research and marketing body for apple and pear growers in Western Australia. Mark chaired PomeWest for nearly 3 years. His farm is a diverse operation, including apples, pears, stone fruit and some other niche products. The orchard is a balance of licensed varieties, including Kanzi and Bravo as well as high density plantings of Gala, Granny and Pink Lady clones.

A third-generation apple grower from Queensland’s Granite Belt, Daniel has been managing the family business in Stanthorpe, Nicoletti Orchards, for over 26 years alongside his wife Toni. From its humble beginnings growing ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Gravenstein’ varieties along with some stone fruit, Daniel is motivated by continuing the legacy of the successful family business, started in the 1950s by his parents Guido and Anna Nicoletti. Today, the 40-hectare, 100-per-cent netted farm also includes an established cold storage facility and packing shed. They grow traditional varieties including ‘Cripps Pink’, ‘Rosy Glow’ and ‘Lady In Red’ which are marketed in Australia as Pink Lady, ‘Royal Gala’, ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Fuji’ apples, as well as branded varieties Bravo™, Kanzi^®, Envy™, and Kalei™. Daniel is passionate about the growth of Australian horticulture and was previously on the Executive Committee of the Granite Belt Growers Association. Prior to this, Daniel was involved with the Stanthorpe Apple Committee and was Chairperson from 2000–12.

Joining the APAL Board as an Independent Director in September 2023, Jacqueline Wilson-Smith (BCom, GAICD) brings 25 years of experience in agri-food to APAL, having worked for several global food and agribusiness companies, including McCormick, Gourmet Garden, Mondelez and Constellation Wines. Passionate about creating better food systems and facilitating impact, Jacqueline is the Founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Innovation Co. and Co-founder and former Chair of the Food & Agribusiness Network (FAN). With a Board portfolio spanning several membership-based organisations focused on the agri-food sector, sustainability and innovation, Jacqueline is also a Board Director of the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (FA), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Travellers Choice (TC), she is Chair of AgriFutures Ginger Research Advisory Panel and is an industry steering committee member of the Australian Food & Beverage Accelerator (FaBA). Jacqueline was the Queensland recipient of the 2017 AgriFutures Rural Woman’s Award and is a participant in the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP), cohort 30..