Three new board members have been appointed to guide operations at Vinehealth Australia, the South Australian statutory body charged with safeguarding the state’s vines from pests and diseases, following an independent selection process.
The new board members ─ Dianne Davidson AM, Iain Jones and Krysteen McElroy – join current directors Dr Jo Luck, Dr Sally Troy, Alex Sas, and Nick Secomb. The new board will select a chair at its first meeting in December.
A board nominations committee oversaw the selection process and comprised representatives from the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA), Wine Grape Council of South Australia (WGCSA), South Australian Vine Improvement Association (SAVIA), as well as the outgoing chair of Vinehealth Australia and an independent chair.
“The three new board members all bring extensive industry experience, and together with our continuing Directors, offer a great diversity of skills to ensure Vinehealth Australia delivers important biosecurity results for the South Australian grape and wine community,” said Suzanne McLoughlin, acting CEO of Vinehealth Australia.
Dianne Davidson is an agricultural scientist and experienced horticulturist, specialising in winegrape production and soil and water management. Davidson is a vineyard owner and a long-time board Director with more than 25 years of experience. She founded the company Davidson Viticulture which for 26 years provided consulting and management services to table and wine grape producers throughout Australia and internationally. In 2015, Davidson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her services to the winemaking and horticulture industries and to higher education administration.
Iain Jones is head of research and development, quality and compliance at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE). Jones is responsible for leading the development and implementation of TWE’s science and technology strategy and has more than 23 years of experience in the wine industry.
Krysteen McElroy is co-owner of a Limestone Coast family business that owns a vineyard. McElroy is a CEO and board member with more than 15 years of board-level experience across not for profit, government and private industry, with experience in broadacre agriculture, viticulture and rural communities.
A key role of the board is to oversee implementation of the Vinehealth Australia Strategic Agenda 2021 to 2026, working alongside the South Australian grape and wine industry and government to protect vines from biosecurity risk and to advance vine health.
The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia, trading as Vinehealth Australia, is a South Australian independent statutory authority with a single-minded focus on biosecurity. It obtains its powers and functions from the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Act 1995, and has been protecting the State’s vineyards from significant pest and disease threats since 1899.
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