9. SECRETARY REPORT

9.1.  DIRECTORS’ REPORT

Outlined below are the names and details of the company’s Directors in office during the financial year and until the date of this report. Directors were in office for this entire period unless otherwise stated.

Rachelle Williams (Chair)

Rachelle has been the Chair of FSIC Ltd since May 2015, taking over from Professor Michael Eyles. She previously held the role of Secretary. She joined FSIC because of her belief that by helping consumers understand food safety and what they can do to control it, we can reduce the impact food poisoning has on our community.

In her other life, Rachelle runs her own business as The Green Food Safety Coach. She is a Food Technologist who, early on, developed a passion for food safety, and then, recently, sustainability as well. Amongst her professional food and sustainability memberships, Rachelle is a Fellow of AOQ Inc, a Professional Member of AIFST Ltd, and a Member of AICD.

As Chair, Rachelle wants to make the Food Safety Information Council Ltd the recognised national voice for science-based, consumer-focused food safety information in Australia.

Cathy Moir (Deputy Chair)

Cathy is a food microbiologist and Group Leader CSIRO Agriculture and Food. Through her various roles at CSIRO and Food Science Australia, Cathy has developed extensive knowledge of and expertise in the microbiology of a wide range of foods and food processes.

Cathy provides expert professional services and advice to assist industry and government with matters relating to food safety hazard identification and characterisation, risk assessment and management of the microbiological safety and stability of food. She is also actively involved with the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Lydia Buchtmann (Communications Director)

Lydia is a Canberra based communications consultant. She was a founding member of the Food Safety Information Council and has been involved in its communication work since 1997. She headed the Communication and Stakeholder Engagement section of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) from 1997 to 2010 and was their representative on the FSIC Executive during that period.

Lydia has over 30 years’ experience heading communications sections in Federal Government agencies. She has a Masters in Communication (by research) from the University of Canberra 2001 and a BA (Hons) in Anthropology from the ANU 1984. She is a member of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and a life member of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.

Gavin Buckett (Membership Director)

Gavin is a multi-award winning Qualified Chef, with Tertiary Qualifications in Food Technology and Confectionery Manufacture, who started his own specialised food safety business that is now called the “The Gourmet Guardian”. Founded in 2003, The Gourmet Guardian is a specialist provider to the Food and Beverage industry including restaurants, café’s, catering companies, major sporting venues, private resorts, hotels, hospitals, aged care, manufacturers and distributors.

Gavin has vast food industry experience that includes 15 years as a Qualified Chef. His current responsibilities include managing a company that delivers Food Safety Training, develops and implements Food Safety Programs (including HACCP, BRC, WQAS and Spotless Certified Programs) and conducts regulatory and internal food safety audits to more than 200 different food businesses.

In addition to the Food Safety Information Council, Gavin and/ or The Gourmet Guardian are members of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), the Allergen Bureau; Exemplar Global NFSA Level 4 High Risk Auditor and the Café Owners and Baristas Association (COBAA). Gavin is a regulatory approved Food Safety Auditor with Queensland Health, New South Wales Food Authority, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services and the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. Gavin is also the Principal of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) called Prime Skills Pty Ltd that specialises in delivering food safety training.

Deb Kerr (Secretary) – appointed January 2018

BMgt, GAICD JP

Ms Kerr is the General Manager Policy at Australian Pork Limited; appointed January 2014. She previously held the position of Manager, Natural Resource Manager for the National Farmers’ Federation, managing national policy portfolios for water, natural resources and biodiversity, property rights, native title, mining and onshore petroleum, and climate change and carbon.

Deb holds a Bachelor of Management degree from the University of Sydney, a Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is a graduate of the AICD and Murray-Darling Basin Leadership Programs.

Karine Mac (Marketing Director)

With extensive experience in all areas of marketing and corporate strategy, Karine decided to bring this passion to food safety. She has served in executive positions in marketing, sales and strategy in top ASX listed and family-owned organisations developing and growing some of Australia’s most loved brands whilst driving revenue growth and profit. She has also been involved in large scale acquisitions as well as post-merger integration.

During her successful career, Karine developed many strategies to retain market share and increase revenue growth which saw her win numerous Australian and international marketing awards as well as consulted to large Australian and European companies on these innovative ideas.

Karine currently serves on boards of a number of NFP and private organisations.

Kelvin Genn – Retired

Kelvin has held board positions with the Cater Care Group as the Director of Risk and Service Delivery Support and Director Risk for the Food Safety Information Council, he is currently a Board Member for Art of Work. He is also a committee member with the Safety Institute of Australia.  Most recently he was working for Sinclair Knight Merz as the Global General Manager for Safety and Wellness to deliver an international leading program for health safety environment and community (HSEC) in the engineering and project management business.

He has worked with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to develop the national accreditation system for all health care providers across Australia. He has also worked with the UK National Health Service Institute for Innovation and Improvement to deliver the Productive Leader and Productive Ward programs in Australia and New Zealand.

Formerly he was the Director of Clinical Quality and Safety for NSW Health, responsible for leading the development and implementation of the state-wide clinical quality and patient safety framework standards guidelines, and indicators to improve clinical health care safety and quality for patients of NSW the public health system where he was responsible for shaping the state and national agendas for clinical health care safety and quality through provision of expert advice to the NSW Health Management Board and the NSW Minister of Health; and by representing the views and interests of NSW Health in state and national forums.

9.2.  COMMITTEES

The Board has several committees comprising of Board and skills-based appointments.

Committee

Members
Membership

Dr Duncan Craig – Chair

Gavin Bucket, Gourmet Guardian

Dean McCullum, SA Health

Technical

Dr Trish Desmarchelier OAM – Chair

Brigitte Cox

Dr Duncan Craig, Department of Agriculture

Karen Ferres, SA Health

Cathy Moir, CSIRO

Communications

Lydia Buchtmann – Chair

Lorraine Haase, FSANZ

Rebecca Bowmann, NSW Food Authority

Tania Bradley

Emma Butler, Cater Care

Jane Rowlands, Dairy Food Safety Victoria

Tracy Ward, NT Department of Health

Nominations

Rachelle Williams – Chair

Deb Kerr, Australian Pork

Cathy Moir, CSIRO

Marketing Karine Mac
Finance Rachelle Williams – Chair
Risk, Audit and Policy Rachelle Williams – Chair

9.3.  COMPANY SECRETARY

Rachelle Williams

Chair and Company Secretary

Ms Williams joined FSIC in 2008 and was appointed Company Secretary in 2016.

9.4.  DIRECTOR’S MEETINGS

Directors Board Meetings
Attended Held[1]
Rachelle Williams 9 9
Cathy Moir 8 9
Lydia Buchtmann 8 9
Gavin Buckett 6 9
Deb Kerr 5 5
Karine Mac 1 2
Kelvin Genn 1 1

[1] Held represents the number of meetings held during the time the Director held office or was a member of the relevant committee.

 

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