Chairman
The Directors of COGGO may elect a Chairman of Directors and the Directors may also determine the period for which the persons elected as Chairman and Deputy Chairman are to hold office.
COGGO is a Company limited by guarantee and it is run by a Board (with an independent Chair) and a Company Secretary.
The COGGO Board
The COGGO Constitution empowers the incumbent Directors to determine their actual number, however, the Constitution also specifies that the number of Directors can be no less than four, nor greater than 10. The appointment and removal of Directors is the subject of Section 15 of the Constitution and takes place in general meeting.
- Every Contributing Member has one vote
- Any person may nominate for a position as a Director of COGGO
- Eligible members may also propose themselves or any other person for election as a Director in accordance with the Constitution
Board Members
Rhys Turton
Chairman
Farming in York where he produces cereals, legumes and hay and runs sheep for meat and wool. Between 1991 and 2010 also farmed at Koorda on a mixed cropping property.
Currently a Councillor of the Co-operative Federation of WA, a Director of the York Community (Bendigo ) Bank and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Will Carmody
Deputy Chairman
Will started farming at Cascade with his family in 1977, clearing virgin bushland and developing the farm “Maryland Too”. He currently farms this property which produces canola, wheat and barley with his wife Margaret.
Will has a keen interest in precision agriculture and was a member of the first WA Precision Ag steering committee. He has also completed the Rabobank Executive Development Program. Will is the Captain of the Cascade Bushfire Brigade and a senior control officer for the Esperance Shire West Zone. He has served as President on local community recreation and sporting groups and Chairperson on school council for Cascade Primary School over several years.
Chris Wilkins
Non-Executive Director
Chris Wilkins has a degree in Agricultural Science and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration. Chris has been operating his own consulting business since 1997 and provides agronomic and farm business management advice to farmer clients. He also provides advice on new farm investments, infrastructure purchases and succession planning. Chris is also a Director of Synergy Consulting and a past Committee Member of the Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (WA). These positions require Chris to provide strategic advice and direction for those organisations.
Barry Large
Non-Executive Director
Barry Large farms at Round Hill, Miling on a property known as “Moorlands”. He has been farming for 29 years, growing hay, cereals, lupins and oilseeds. Mr Large is one of the founding directors and currently Chairman of Grain Producers Australia.
John O'Neil
Non-Executive Director
John currently farms a 6,400 ha mixed grains and sheep enterprise at Wialki (eastern wheatbelt region of WA). He has been on the family farm since he left the Muresk Institute in 1982.
John holds a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) degree and is a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
John has served on several boards including CBH, International Rural Exchange, Ninghan Farm Focus Group, Bendigo Bank Mukinbudin as well as many Community and Sporting groups.
Dean McKenzie
Company Secretary
Dean McKenzie is a qualified Chartered Secretary and member of the Governance Institute of Australia. He’s also a qualified Chartered Accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. He is the practice principal of Prospicio Group which he commenced in 2007 to provide corporate and management services to a range of clients. Dean has more than 30 years of experience working in both professional practice and public corporate roles. His experience base includes working with agribusinesses based in Western Australia, nationally and overseas.