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Meet Our Directors

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Philip Hawker
0427 367 542

Philip Hawker has worked as an Agronomist for over 30 years in Western Australia and Victoria. Philip has significant experience in the strategic development and management of agricultural businesses and holds a number of company director positions. Philip has an Honours Degree in Agricultural Science from the University of WA and is a graduate of the Williamson Community Leadership Program. He lives with his family at Beaufort on a property, which they farm. Philip is a director and the Business Manager – Agronomy & Client Services for Western AG.

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Ashley Miller
0418 529 699

Ashley Miller has an Agricultural Degree and an extensive career in private enterprise. He is a current board member of AgLink, and previously a board member of both the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia (AAAA) and the Victorian Agricultural Chemical Advisory Committee (VACAC). He has worked as an agricultural pilot and company manager for 25 years both in the Western District and Wimmera regions in Victoria. Ashley is the Business Manager – Operations for Western AG.

Meet Our Agronomists

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Gerard O’Brien
Manager – Agronomy Development

Gerard O’Brien obtained an Applied Science (Ag) Degree from VCAH Dookie in 1990. He has worked on several broadacre mixed farms in the Western District before commencing as an Agronomist firstly in Ballarat in 1998 and then later at Skipton. He commenced employment at the inception of Western AG and continues to provide agronomic services to a loyal client base. He has a keen personal interest in pastures and livestock, as well as his passion for broadacre crops.

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James Jess
Manager – Research & Technical Services

James Jess completed a Bachelor of Science (Ag) at Melbourne University (Dookie) before commencing with the Birchip Cropping Group (BCG). Over three years, as a technical officer and field agronomist, James conducted field trials involving barley agronomy, resistance management, nitrogen and fungicide management, as well as various trials in precision agriculture. James has been a Western Ag Agronomist since August 2009 working in the Skipton, Derrinallum, Willaura, Cressy and Bannockburn areas.

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Ashley Perkins
Senior Agronomist

Ashley Perkins has over 20 years experience as an agronomist. Ashley started at Jeparit in the Southern Mallee in 1990, before moving to Inverleigh in the Western District in 1997. He has vast experience with raised bed and broadacre cropping, pasture renovation including lucerne in the Western District. He lives at Bannockburn with his wife and two children.

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Finance & Administration

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Paul Barker
Finance Manager

Paul Barker is the company Finance Manager, a role that involves all financial aspects across the Western AG business. He has a Commerce Degree and is a Fellow of the National Institute of Accountants. Prior to joining Western AG, he has held Finance Manager positions in private organisations in the Western District for 10 years and also worked for a Chartered Accounting firm in Warrnambool for 5 years.




 

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Bec Molloy
Ballarat

Bec Molloy is based in Ballarat and fulfils a dual role supporting both the Western AG and Grain Protect’s administration team. Bec has been involved in the agriculture sector for over 2 decades and called the Western District home for many years. Bec began her career with a global grain exporter at Smeaton for almost 10 years, followed by a logistics and grain trading company before moving into the stockfeed industry. After a short stint working in the commercial construction and education sector, Bec has now returned to agriculture. Bec has 3 kids, loves camping and skiing and barracks for the Kangaroos in the AFL.

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Damien Bishop
Warnnambool

Damien was appointed in 2022 as the company Assistant Accountant based at the Warrnambool Administration office. His role involves overseeing the Accounts Payable function of Western AG as well as providing accounting assistance to the Finance Manager. Damien has a Diploma of Business Accounting and, prior to joining Western AG, held a Business Manager position at a private organisation in the Western District for the past 17 years. He is married with 3 children.






 

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Caroline (Caz) Carman
Derrinallum

Caroline, or Caz as she is known, provides reception and administration support to the Derrinallum team. She comes from a farming background having grown up on a beef farm from the age of 12 and spent 2 years farming in New Zealand. Caz gained her Cert 4 in Accounting & Bookkeeping while working full time for Matthews Petroleum.  Caroline lives in the Mortlake/Glenormiston area with her partner and two boys. Caz is also a proud supporter of Grey May (Brain Tumour Awareness).

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Jess Tresize-Barrett
Ballarat

Jess is part of the Head Office administration team, is based in Ballarat and undertakes the role of Accounts Payable for Western AG.  Jess grew up in Ballarat and shares her time between Ballarat and her house in Stawell. She joins us with 8 years’ experience working at a local law Firm, with a background in administration, accounts, HR and office management.  Jess has a Diploma in Management and is currently undertaking a Certificate of Accounting and Bookkeeping. In her spare time Jess enjoys getting out in nature and playing baseball. Jess is an Adelaide Crows fan.

Branch & Merchandise Managers

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Brad Everett
0419 801 583
Southern Regional Manager

Brad Everett has a local farming family background and has worked within the agricultural retail Industry for the past 17 years after starting out in an aircraft support role for Western Aerial. He is well known throughout the Western District by both farmers and key Suppliers to the business. He has held the role of Merchandise Manager since the company began operations in 2005 and his main responsibility now is the Western AG Derrinallum Branch Manager.

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Pat Doquile
0428 236 966
Derrinallum / Willaura

Pat has been employed in the agricultural industry for over 25 years, with the majority of this time selling all types of rural merchandise to wholesalers and retail clients. He has held various roles with Corporate Ag companies since the early nineties, including Merchandise Manager, State Inventory Manager and a Regional Merchandise Manager role. He has a great understanding of the local area and has been providing advice on animal health and general merchandise for a number of years.

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Karl Drever
0438 397 544
Ballarat

Karl Drever has been involved in the agricultural industry for over 22 years. Being brought up on the land, Karl started in the industry with Stephen Pasture Seeds and, after 18 years there, ended up in a Sales Manager role with experience in all regions of Victoria and the South East of SA. The past 5 years has seen Karl work as a Pasture Specialist in the Ballarat Region. Karl brings a wealth of knowledge to Western Ag and is keen to build and continue lasting relationships with local growers from the new Ballarat Store.

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Katrina Ridgway
0409 741 427

Benalla / Avenel

Katrina Ridgway has recently moved to the North East region of Victoria based in Avenel. Katrina has been involved in the rural industry for the past 24 years and started her working career in the rural industry with on-farm bookkeeping, before taking on a livestock operations role for a local Tasmanian meat processor.  After taking a short break to start a family, she recommenced her career working in rural merchandise and sales in Tasmania, with a focus on Animal Health and Whole Farm Production. 

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Mark Hoffman
0488 233 436
Northern Regional Manager

Mark Hoffmann comes from a rural background and has worked in the agricultural retail industry for 15 years after starting out his career as a product salesman. He is well known throughout the Wimmera and has worked in Horsham as the Merchandise Manager for several agricultural companies before taking a position as Branch Manager for Western AG when the company began operations in Horsham in April, 2010.

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Gary Hall
0429 433 122
Nhill

Gary has spent his whole life in the Nhill area and has worked previously for Lowan Whole Foods. He has been with Graincorp since 2006, in the role of Grain Services Manager, and was responsible for operations at Nhill, Kaniva, Lillimur and surrounding sites. Gary has a high level of expertise and experience in local farming. His attention to detail and commitment to follow up and solve farmer’s issues are of immense benefit to local growers.

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Damien Pilgrim
0427 619 670

Bordertown

Damien is a well-known Bordertown local who joined the agricultural sector in 2005. Prior to this he worked for a tarpaulin manufacturing business locally for 8 years. He is passionate about customer service and has a high level of expertise in Animal Health and General Merchandise products. He has all round knowledge being across both the crop protection and fertiliser range also. Outside of work, interests include basketball, skiing and all sports in general. Damien is married with three daughters and is a proud supporter of the Essendon football club.

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Raquel Tyler
0437 811 661

Kyneton

Raquel grew up in the Western District and Wimmera and has a strong practical agricultural background including working on farm and operating her own livestock pregnancy scanning business. She began working for Western AG at our Horsham Branch and has recently moved with her family to Bullengarook, where she continues to be part of the Western AG Animal Health team looking after clients in the Ballarat and Macedon Ranges area. Raquel is excited to be part of the new branch development in Kyneton and is looking forward to building and continuing lasting relationships with local producers to achieve the best possible results from their livestock production. Outside of work Raquel and her family enjoy Campdrafting, travelling to events across Victoria and interstate.

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Troy Kollegger
0458 441 115
Bannockburn

Troy Kollegger has lived in the Bannockburn region all his life and has been employed in the agricultural industry for over 15 years. Troy has vast experience in Branch and Merchandise Management within the agricultural market where he really enjoys forming lasting business relationships with Suppliers and clients. Troy has broad agricultural product knowledge and specialises in animal health and general merchandise products.

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Danny Ansell
0447 166 278
Kaniva

Danny has lived in Kaniva since 1989 and was previously employed with Elders in Kaniva for over seven years, prior to this he worked on a broadacre cropping farm and as a shed builder. Danny’s interests include cycling and AFL having previously played for Kaniva Leeor United Football Club, he has continued to support the club as a past committee member and currently runs for the A grade team. Danny is married with two daughters aged seven and five.

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Tim Wilson
0429 168 020 
Hamilton

Tim has a strong background in agriculture which started on his family’s sheep and cattle property at Penhurst, in the Western District. For the past 8 years, Tim has been employed by a local farm supplies business, with a focus on animal health, general merchandise and fertiliser sales/logistics. Tim resides in Hamilton and has strong interest and involvement with local sport and enjoys motorbike riding on & off road.


 

Logistics

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Steven Booley
Bannockburn

Steven Booley is a local farmer from Inverleigh who has lived in the region for 40 years. He has a wealth of experience in growing irrigated and dry land lucerne and also produces quality prime lambs. Steven is a qualified plumber by trade, but prefers and enjoys working on his farming enterprise and contributing to Western AG.









 

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Mal Satchell
Ballarat

Mal’s agricultural background started back on the family Dairy/Beef enterprise South of Ballarat and also with cropping at Gama, North of Lascelles in the Victorian Mallee. From 2000, Mal worked at Stephen Pasture Seeds for 19 years in varying roles from warehousing, dispatch, sales and to Office Manager. Before joining Western AG, Mal had a short stint at AGF Seeds gaining a greater insight to cereal seed production. In his free time, Mal enjoys all motorsports, be it attending Formula 1 and/or MotoGP weekends, or riding dirt bikes with the kids. 

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Ben Gay
Hamilton

Ben came to Western AG with a range of retail experience having previously worked in the bulk fuel and motor vehicle/cycle spare parts industries. He also has experience working with an arborist and landscaper. Ben is part of the Hamilton Merchandise sales and logistics team and handles deliveries, warehousing and general merchandise sales from the Hamilton Branch. A local, Ben lives with his partner, 2 French Bulldogs, 2 cats and 2 chooks. In his spare time, he rides motorbikes, enjoys live music, motorsport and is a passionate photographer. Once upon a time, Ben was a Collingwood member.

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Mark Davis
Nhill

Although born at Mortlake in the Western District Mark has spent most of his life in the Wimmera at Nhill. Prior to taking on the Merchandise role with Western Ag at Nhill in 2018  Mark had over 35 years experience working in various Warehouse, Merchandise and Sales positions. Mark’s wife Paula runs her family’s broad acre cropping farm and they have two daughters and a son. Mark’s family share a passion for sport having been involved in Football, Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Netball and Basketball teams at Nhill and Horsham. Mark also has a real passion for the Mighty Hawks.



 

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Matt Harper
Derrinallum

Matt has grown up in SW Victoria and originates from Simson where his family ran a beef operation. He has been actively employed in the Agricultural Industry for over 25 years and, before starting with Western Ag 6 years ago in a logistics capacity, worked in a Site Supervisor role at a local grain trading, transport and storage business for 10 years. Matt has also been involved in bulk silage contracting in Victoria and NSW and also within the building and joinery industry for some time.

 

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Brad Haslett
Willaura

Brad and Tanya Haslett ran a successful fertiliser spreading business for 15 years. In 2006, after earlier establishing the fertiliser facility on the Moyston - Willaura Rd, Brad formed an alliance with Western AG to assist in the supply of fertiliser in the area. The Willaura Branch now provides clients with the entire range of farm inputs and is a key asset to the Willaura farming region. Brad continues to farm in the area and provides additional support to clients from Willaura.

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Anthony Fabris
Bordertown

Anthony ‘Fab' Fabris lives on a farm 30kms south of Bordertown in Western Flat and has done so for the past 20 years. Fab and his wife, Denise run a Murray Grey cattle stud called 'Beeamma' on the property. Fab and Denise have 3 kids, with the oldest 2 in the workforce whilst their youngest has just completed year 12 studies and is off to Adelaide for further studies. Fab has previous experience in the rural retail industry having worked for Castec Rural Naracoorte, and Elders Padthaway some time ago. In recent times he has been the Bridgestone Manager and Spare Parts Manager for local business, Wickham Flower. Fab and his family enjoy the farm and agriculture life, water skiing, camping and himself follows the Swans in the AFL.

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Tremayne Jude
Bannockburn

Tremayne Jude started work at the Bannockburn Branch as a part-time employee in a logistics capacity in 2017. Currently, his duties have greatly expanded to include all facets of animal health and merchandise sales and has developed a very loyal clientele due to his reliable work ethic and commitment to helping his clients to understand their products better. Tremayne lives in Meredith and knows the Golden Plains area extremely well.

Animal Health & General Merchandise Specialists

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Geordie Elliott
Hamilton

Geordie Elliott is from Breakaway Creek in SW Victoria. After studying beef and sheep production at Longreach Pastoral College in QLD, Geordie has worked in a multitude of sectors of the livestock industry. He has held various roles in commercial, stud and feedlot operations throughout the entire East Coast of Australia. More recently, Geordie held a Territory Management role for a livestock supplements company managing all aspects of ruminant nutrition within grazing systems. Geordie has won several scholarships and attended study tours of the cattle and sheep industries in North America and the United Kingdom. In his free time, Geordie, and his partner Crystal, run the Corumbene Brangus and Prairie Falls Murray Grey studs on their farm “Oak Park” in SW Victoria.

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Alana Edwards
Bordertown

Alana works within the Bordertown Branch in a Merchandise Sales and Administration role with a particular interest in Animal Health, she is looking forward to working closely with the Animal Health team and growing her knowledge. Alana grew up in Melbourne, yet has always been surrounded by and passionate about Agriculture with her family fine wool Merino sheep property 40km South of Ballarat. This inspired her to complete an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Agronomy at Longerenong Ag College. Currently residing on her husbands family property 15km East of Bordertown, she has a range of interests enjoying the outdoors she loves weekends spent in Grampians, health and fitness, loves to socialise and travel.

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Glenn Gray
Willaura

Glenn grew up on sheep property in Woorndoo in South West Victoria and lives in Mortlake with his wife and 2 children. He is an active member of his local community. Glenn originally worked for Western Aerial and Western AG in logistics roles as well as a period of time working in the tyre industry. He has also worked in hospitality for nearly 25 years. Glenn has extensive merchandise knowledge and has recently taken on the role of Merchandise Sales and Logistics at our Willaura branch where he is working together with the Agronomy and Animal Health team to service existing clients and to provide a service for our growing client base in Willaura area.

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Anita Brojatsch
Millicent

Anita performs multiple roles for Western AG including Merchandise Manager and Animal Health Specialist at the Millicent Branch. She has extensive knowledge in farm production systems gained from working in both Northern New South Wales and SE South Australia and in various rural business positions. In addition, Anita is familiar with crop and pasture production input requirements having worked alongside Agronomists in previous businesses. She is passionate about agriculture and client service and is highly regarded in the Millicent area. In her spare time, Anita runs cattle on her farm at Rendelsham and, outside of agriculture, her interests include horses with her preferred AFL team being the Sydney Swans.

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Janette Densley
Naracoorte

Janette has lived in the SE of South Australia all her life and currently resides in Kingston SE with her husband Joe. Janette has over 18 years’ experience within the agricultural industry including 12 years within the Animal Health and Rural Merchandise segments. Janette has held various positions with Resellers including Merchandise Management and Sales and, more recently, Animal Health technical roles. She has a sound knowledge and a very strong passion for increasing client’s profitability through better animal health and nutrition practices.

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Samantha Lees
Derrinallum

Samantha joined the Western Ag team in 2018 as merchandise Sales and animal health. She Grew up in the Wimmera on a sheep, cattle and cropping property where Samantha loved spending all her spare weekends when home from boarding school. Samantha loves animals and could never see herself without having a pet or working with livestock. Whenever she can get a chance, she’s out riding her horses and loving the life on the land. Samantha now lives in the western District with her partner Gerard.  Samantha competed in the Worldskills challenge and won gold for her region in and went on to represent Victoria in Perth for Agriculture.


 

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Kate Cross
Horsham

Kate is very passionate about the livestock industry and is part of our Animal Health & General (AH&G) Specialist team in Horsham. Kate grew up in the Wimmera and has completed an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Agronomy. Over the years, she has developed an extensive livestock background, working on cattle stations in Queensland & the Northern Territory in various roles and more recently on the cattle team at the Harmony Feedlot in Gerang Gerung. Outside of work, Kate’s interests include horse riding, netball and field and game shooting.

 

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Brad Moyle
Derrinallum

Brad works for Western AG as the Derrinallum Merchandise Manager. He grew up on a sheep and cropping farm west of Hopetoun in the Mallee and has been involved in agriculture most of his life. Brad enjoys every aspect of farming, has been active in the local rural retail area for several years and believes that his knowledge of Animal Health and General Merchandise will be a great asset to clients of Western AG. Family is very important to Brad and, more recently, they purchased land in the Mount Bute area where his wife and two children run a few sheep and cows.

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Raquel Tyler
Kyneton

Raquel grew up in the Western District and Wimmera and has a strong practical agricultural background including working on farm and operating her own livestock pregnancy scanning business. She began working for Western AG at our Horsham Branch and has recently moved with her family to Bullengarook, where she continues to be part of the Western AG Animal Health team looking after clients in the Ballarat and Macedon Ranges area. Raquel is excited to be part of the new branch development in Kyneton and is looking forward to building and continuing lasting relationships with local producers to achieve the best possible results from their livestock production. Outside of work Raquel and her family enjoy Campdrafting, travelling to events across Victoria and interstate.

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Jonty Brown
Kaniva

Jonty grew up in the Kaniva area and attended Kaniva College. During high school Jonty completed his Cert III in Agriculture at Longernong College as a school-based apprentice and spent 5 years working on a local farm.  Jonty then moved to Adelaide where he spent the next 5 years in the Civil industry before heading back to Kaniva and following his passion by joining Western AG in 2018 as an Animal Health and General Merchandise specialist. When not at work Jonty enjoy riding dirt-bikes, skiing, playing footy for the mighty Kaniva Leeor Cougars and is an avid Richmond supporter.




 

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Laura Millard
Horsham

Laura’s role is part of our Animal Health & General (AH&G) Specialist team and is based in the Horsham Branch. She has spent the last 2 years in rural retail within the Wimmera and will continue our focus on the animal health sector throughout our Northern areas. Laura lives in Murtoa, with her partner who is  a local farmer in the area, and another who also enjoys horse riding.










 

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Luke Keys
Bannockburn

Luke was born and raised in Bannockburn Victoria where he previously worked as a Systems Maintenance Coordinator at Barwon Water. Luke was looking for a change in careers and has proven to be a great addition taking on a Merchandise Sales role at the Bannockburn location. Luke is a passionate Carlton supporter and enjoys cricket over the summer period (although his highest score is unfortunately 99 which remains today as his highest score).

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