YOUR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
vegetablesWA
CEO’s Report I
BY JOHN SHANNON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, VEGETABLESWA
t has been an unprecedented few months, with the coronavirus pandemic presenting a multitude of serious challenges to the horticulture industry.
This is a period where we have been forced to adapt to changes at a rapid rate and I expect we will continue to do so for some time to come. By my side during this challenging time was Karen Raybould, who I am delighted to announce has been appointed to the position of Operations Manager here at vegetablesWA.
Karen has been kicking goals in the vegetablesWA office since September last year and proven herself invaluable to the staff and committee. Originally from the UK, where she worked as a Police Officer and Civil Servant within Corrections and Immigration, Karen relocated to Australia about eight years ago and has since worked in roles as an Organisational Development Manager. This varied background has served to develop Karen’s pragmatic approach to business and staff management.
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WA Grower WINTER 2020
Her hands-on approach to project management and operational processes showed she has traits needed to keep the Vegetables Team in line and her awareness around the intricacies of cultural diversity made her a good fit for an industry as multicultural as Horticulture. Right out of the gate, Karen demonstrated an understanding of the passion required to work within an association that supports and represents Growers and an industry on a national level. Six weeks out from our premier calendar event, Karen blindly jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she was handed organisational control of the two-day behemoth that is the Industry Summit. With the clock ticking and a to do list as long as your arm, she got to organising everything from the interstate speakers to the snags for the Grower Group Tour lunchtime barbie.
3 KAREN Raybould, vegetablesWA Operations Manager.
which will ultimately translate to a more cohesive operational approach throughout the association and industry. On another note, I am pleased to report that vegetablesWA, together with partner Planfarm, has completed its third-year vegetable of Financial and Production benchmarks across the vegetable industry in WA.
Benchmarking —building a long-term picture of vegetable growers in WA.
By the close of the event, Karen had revealed not even a baptism of fire would hold her back, as she stamped out the last of those pesky embers and we raised a glass to another successful event.
After a rather challenging introduction to horticulture, Karen’s appointment as Operations Manager was cemented and she hasn’t come up for air since! Her focus on enabling all staff to drive their projects with their individual knowledge and expertise has allowed them to take ownership of the delivery,
For further information see page 84 or go to https://vegetableswa.com. au/benchmarking/ MORE INFORMATION John Shannon, phone 0488 111 526 or email john.shannon@vegetableswa.com.au
