Board of Directors
The Board of Director’s primary role is to establish direction, monitor the performance and oversee the financial accountability of Genetics Australia Co-Operative on behalf of the shareholders. The board is made up of 8 directors consisting of 6 elected member directors and 2 independent directors that are appointed by the board. Elected members hold office for three years and independent members hold office for a term determined by the board but no longer than 3 years.
The Board of Directors is the representative of the owners, our shareholders. Shareholders elect each director, apart from two specialist directors appointed by the board. The board elects a Chairman each year and it is currently John Pekin. The Board of Directors is responsible for policy. It employs a Chief Executive Officer who is responsible for implementing the board’s policy including the management of all operators and staff Genetics Australia is committed to the profitability of Australian farmers through the development of Australian proven beef and dairy genetics from local and worldwide bloodlines. In addition to genetic improvement the co-operative offers merchandise, and bull collection.
Meet the Board Members
John Pekin
(Chairman)
BAgrBusMgt., Adv.Dip.Ag.
Kolora, Vic.
John was elected to the Board in November 2016. John has a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management and an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture. He was a speaker at the 2019 Australian Dairy Conference on the success of genomically testing his herd. He worked for Western Herd Improvement as an AI technician for 10 years in local dairy herds and conducted/managed synchronized AI programs in beef herds in Victoria and interstate. John is chairman of the Animal Health & Welfare Committee.
Craig Drake
(Deputy Chairman)
Dip. Ag. Sci., Dip. Farm Man., FAICD Dip
Allansford, Vic.
Craig was elected to the board in December 2011. He has been a director of Tas Herd since 2000. He is a former board member of Warrnambool Cheese & Butter and former chairman of Western Herd Improvement. Craig became Deputy Chairman in November 2015 and is also a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Tim Humphris
(Non – Executive Director)
BVSc ., MVS
Nirranda South, Vic.
Tim was elected to the board in November 2018, he has a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Master of Veterinary Studies in Veterinary Clinical Sciences Dairy Medicine and Management. Tim is a committee member of the Standing Committee for Genetics Evaluation with Datagene. After 15 years of working as a dairy veterinarian, Tim has now been farming for the last 12 years. He runs a 450 cow three-way cross dairy herd using Holstein, Jersey, and Aussie Red genetics. He is also a member of Holstein Australia and the Australian Red Dairy Breed.
Trevor Henry
(Non Executive Director)
Maffra, Vic.
Trevor was appointed to the Board in May 2010 and has now served for over 10 years. Formerly a director of the Macalister Demonstration Farm Board for 10 years where he served 4 years as Chairman. Trevor was previously Deputy Chairman GAC from 2013 to 2015 and then served as Chairman from November 2015 June 2023. In June 2023 Trevor stepped down as Chairman of Genetics Australia Co-Operative Board to take a up the position of Chairman on the new Genetics Australia Holdings board. Trevor runs his own successful dairying operation in Gippsland, Victoria, and also often contributes High BPI bulls to the GA & TLG line-up.
Lucinda Corrigan
(Non Executive Director)
B. Sc. Agr (Hons 1)
Bowna, NSW.
Lucinda and her husband run 3,500 performance recorded cattle on seven properties ln the NSW Murray Valley, near Albury. Over the past 30 years they have developed a leading Angus genetics business, ‘Rennylea’, from small base, with dedicated use of Breedplan for genetic improvement and a highly accurate database of phenotypes and genotypes.
Having graduated with Agricultural Science degree, Lucinda also has significant off-farm experience, including a variety of roles with Dawson International PLC, a multinational textile company and CEO of the Australian Cashmere Growers Association.
Jonny O’Brien
Jonny is an experienced finance professional with diverse experience across Private Equity, M&A and business strategy. Today, Jonny owns and manages South Island, a farm management and development business, and consults widely across Australian agriculture. Jonny lives in Kolora and helps oversee a family dairy enterprise south of Simpson.
Meet our company secretary
Anthony Phillips
Beaumaris, Vic.
Appointed as Company Secretary in March 2015, Anthony is Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and spent 20 years in senior management positions in the dairy industry with Colac Dairying Company and Bonlac Foods.
