Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) has announced the departure of two directors. Mark Joyce of South Australia and Scott Montague of Victoria both resigned from the peak industry body this week.
“We’re very sad to see them go because they have served APAL well and have helped to support the industry through their contributions. I’d like to thank them both for their service to APAL,” said APAL chairperson Michele Allan.
Joyce joined the APAL board in December 2013 and acted as representative for growers in his home state. APAL has already moved to advertise the vacant South Australian directors position.
Scott became a board member in November 2011 and also chaired the Marketing Industry Advisory Committee that provided advice to Horticulture Australia Limited on investing growers’ marketing levies.
“We understand that from time to time people have to move on and while they will leave a big gap it also provides an opportunity for someone else to step up to the role,” said Allan.“We are looking to recruit a new director for South Australia to replace Mark, but because Scott was an independent director, we don’t have immediate plans to replace his position.”
In another significant change, APAL has announced plans to relocate its head office to East Melbourne. The planned move will see APAL sell the office it owns and currently operates out of in North Melbourne. The revenue from the sale will be reinvested back into the services it provides growers to support the apple and pear industry.
“The money to pay for the APAL office originally came from income derived from APAL’s management of our Pink Lady trade mark internationally,” said John Dollisson, APAL’s CEO. “The APAL Board has made a strategic business decision to free up this money so it is no longer locked up in a ‘bricks and mortar’ investment, which will allow us to invest it more directly to support our industry.”
