Region continues search for leader

Ahunt continues for a leader to spearhead and advocate for Wimmera and southern Mallee development projects.

Wimmera Development Association board is still advertising for an executive director after the retirement of Ralph Kenyon in February.

Board chairman and Northern Grampians Shire mayor Kevin Erwin said the board remained determined to appoint the best person possible to fill the role.

“We’ve certainly had some good applicants and we’ve greatly appreciated Mark Fletcher filling in for the interim period,” he said.

“The chair’s been vacant since the end of February and we didn’t anticipate it taking this long to fill the position.

“But this is a critically important role and we must get it right.

“We’re not just talking about someone representing a regional centre, or even an individual municipality.

“We’re talking about a region and finding someone to continue to help the region continue to step forward from a development perspective.

“We have made a lot of ground in establishing partnerships, collaborative

“This is obviously a leadership position that requires not only a great deal of knowledge but also significant drive, imagination and vision” – Kevin Erwin

efforts and projects for the region and we want to maintain that momentum.

“For this to happen, we definitely need the right person at the helm.”

Cr Erwin said the board expected to know more about an appointment ‘in the very near future’.

“We feel the Wimmera and southern Mallee is poised at a very exciting stage and we need to keep moving forward,” he said.

“All of us who live here have some understanding of what makes this a great part of the world.

“But there is so much more to offer and that is why this position is so important.

“This is obviously a leadership position that requires not only a great deal of knowledge but also significant drive, imagination and vision.”

Wimmera Development Association, operating now for many years, has a reputation as one of the leading organisations of its type in regional Australia.

Ralph Kenyon filled the position vacated by Jo Bourke.