Board of Directors

board of directors

Robert Whitton 

Chairman
Committee: Audit Committee
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number:  (02) 9431 4000
Robert has been on the board since November 2002 and has been a member of the Society since 1986.
He is a Chartered Accountant who has 21 years experience in Insolvency restructuring and business advisory services.
Robert brings to The Society the expertise, energy and enthusiasm he applies as an Insolvency Practitioner which he utilizes in a creative and strategic manner to provide solutions to problems.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
Diploma of Physical Education
Graduate Certificate Forensic Studies (Accounting)
Official Liquidator
Registered Trustee
Certified Fraud Examiner
Fellow Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants
Fellow Member, Australian Institute of Management
Member, Institute of Company Directors
Member, Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia
Member, The Angus Society of Australia
Product Member, NSW Farmers Federation – Producer Member
Member, Meat & Livestock Australia

Member, Australian Olive Association

Member, Hunter Valley Olive Association

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John Love 

Deputy Chairman
Committee: Audit Committee
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000  

As a current Director I have been very actively involved in the Wine Society since July 2001. I have an excellent knowledge of Co-operatives and a strong belief in and commitment to their underlying democratic principles. Past community involvement included, an Alderman of Sydney City Council, a Director of the Eastern Suburbs Area Health Service and as a National Serviceman in Vietnam. I have a very strong background in Banking, both overseas and in Australia. Currently the General Manager Australia of an International Finance Company, I am hands-on and strongly performance and results orientated. I am married with two children.

Qualifications and Experience
BCom(Qld), MBA(AGSM), CPA, FTIA, FCIM, FCIS, FFIN, AICD

Practical Board experience and corporate governance has been gained through Directorships of domestic and international companies both listed and unlisted. I have over 40 years experience in finance and banking and more recently in change management consulting, agriculture and product marketing. These life experiences, I consider, are essential elements for Board involvement in any intensely competitive industry grouping, including the Wine Industry. I am the managing partner of an ultra-premium Vineyard in north-east Victoria having extensive experience in the wine industry through family involvement over 40 years.

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Greg Melick

Committee: Wine Committee
Postal Address: PO Box 2119, Lower Sandy Bay, TAS, 7005
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000
Greg is a barrister, with extensive experience in appellate, criminal, common and administrative law together with management skills and experience in the private and public sectors including over 40 years in the Army Reserve. He lives in Hobart and is married with three children. His firm management style together with extensive national and international wine experience and contacts has strongly influenced the Society’s wine tasting and evaluation processes.

Qualifications and Experience
AM, RFD, S.C., SJW, BA, LL.B
Senior Counsel with chambers in Hobart and Sydney.
National and international wine judge and member since 1971.
Director since 2003. Tasting Panel Member
Considerable management experience including Commonwealth and State statutory appointments as well as senior appointments in the Australian Defence Force.
Partner in Tasmanian vineyard and is instrumental in setting, and regulating, the wine styles for The Society labelled Tasmanian wines.

Other appointments/boards
Special Investigator, Cricket Australia
St John Ambulance Australia

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Geoff Ballard

Committee: Audit Committee (Chairman)
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number:(02) 9431 4000
Formerly the Investment Manager of Melbourne University, Geoff has served as Deputy Chairman of the Wine Society for three years, during which time he was instrumental in strengthening the financial base of the Society to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing wine industry. Geoff is strongly committed to the belief that an actively supported and well run co-operative can provide members with very tangible benefits and our own TWS label provides a good illustration. Geoff has been an active member of the Wine Society from the day he joined (30 years).
Qualifications and Experience
B.A., B.Ec., M. App Fin. CPA, FTIA, SIA
Extensive experience in the securities markets and investment management Geoff is an active consultant in addition to running a specialised food manufacturing business. He is an examiner and lecturer for the Securities Institute of Australia and is a research panel member of a substantial independent investment research group.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of the principles of good corporate governance, gained from service on a statutory board and a number of committees. Geoff has current directorships in a number of private companies.

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Geoff Goodworth 

Committee: Wine Committee
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000

Geoff is a Sydney wine educator and Chairman of the Society’s Wine Committee. He is closely involved in Society activities, having presented wine workshops for members in Sydney and country areas. He is well aware of the needs members outside Sydney. Geoff has professional marketing and hospitality industry experience and qualifications, in-depth wine knowledge and formal workplace training and quality management qualifications.

Qualifications and Experience
Current Director
Business Consultant
Wine Show Judge
Chairman of Judges, Kiama Regional Wine Show
Vin de Champagne Award Winner
Rothbury Purple Ribbon holder
Rothbury Taster of the Year
Foundation Member, Australian Society of Wine Educators

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Lance Hogan

Committee: Member Benefits Committee (Chairman)
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000

Lance has worked in the wine industry for 26 years in several senior positions. He has managed wineries in the Hunter and Barossa Valleys and was the longest serving General Manager of The Wine Society. Lance is a current director of The Wine Society and is Chairman of the Member Services Committee and is a member of the Wine Tasting Panel. He has for several years been a judge at the NSW Wine Awards. When General Manager of Kemenys in 2003, Lance was selected as NSW Liquor Store Manager of the Year. He now operates his own wine consultancy business and is currently a director and Treasurer of the Liquor Stores Association of NSW and is a director and Winemaster of the NSW Wine Press Club.

Qualifications and Experience
General Manager The Wine Society 1987-1996
Wine show judge
Tasting Panel Member, National Liquor News
NSW Liquor Store Manager of the Year 2003
Board Member, Management Committee, Liquor Stores Association NSW
Committee Member, Wine Press Club of NSW

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Ian McKenzie

Independent Director 
Committee: Wine Committee (Chairman)
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000

Ian commenced his winemaking career in 1959 at Berri Cooperative Winery & Distillery Ltd., progressing to Chief Winemaker/Production Manager in 1976. In 1983 he joined Seppelt as Chief Winemaker and Victorian Manager and with the formation of Southcorp Wines in 1991 he was appointed its Chief Winemaker, a position he held until his retirement in 2001.Currently regarded by many as Australias most senior wine judge he has been show judging since 1974 and has been chairman judge at Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale, Mt. Barker, Riverland, Victorian, Southern Victorian and Ballarat shows and is current chairman judge at the Canberra Regional Wine Show and senior judge at Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Hobart wine shows. He was a consultant to QANTAS (1988-2004) on their wine selection panel and is, and has been, a Tutor at the Len Evans Tutorials since their inception. He is now semi retired and consults to a number of clients in Australia, Chile and South Africa.

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Iain McKimm 

Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000

I have spent the past 21 years in Information Technology and Telecommunications with the past 10 being in Senior Management roles. I currently run my own company that provides consulting services focussed on staff development. I have been a Director of The Wine Society for 5 years and was Chairman for 3 years. Aside from making some wine in the early 90s I have no claim to be part of the Wine Industry. I brought to the board the focus that The Society was a business and should be run as such while adhering to the cooperatives principles that provide Members of a not-for-profit society with benefits over and above retail merchants.

Qualifications:

IT & Business

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Terry Stapleton

Committee: Corporate Governance Committee (Chairman)
Postal Address: c/- The Wine Society, PO Box 475, Kings Cross, 2011
Phone Number: (02) 9431 4000 

I was formerly a director of The Wine Society in 1998/99 and was appointed in September 2004 to fill a casual vacancy on the Board of the Society.I was re- elected to the Board in the November 2004 election. Experienced with a sound and up to date knowledge of Co-operatives and Associations.

Qualifications and Experience
Executive Management with a National Rural Services CompanyExecutive Management positions with a national financial institution
Currently President Wine and Food Society of NSW
Former Director of the Federation of Australian Wine and Food Societies
Former Director The Song Company
Fellow of the Australian Institute of Banking and Finance