New development boss to take reigns
New Wimmera-mallee development leader Chris Sounness has spoken of a need for a ‘triple bottom line’ when working towards regional health and progress.
Mr Sounness said developing or enhancing vibrant communities socially was as important as establishing profitable industry and business sectors or working with environmental assets.
“A key is working towards regional capabilities to meet needs of people so they can have great lifestyle in the Wimmera and southern Mallee for the whole of their lives,” he said.
Mr Sounness, 51, who lives in Horsham with his wife Janine and teenage children Gemma and Saxon, will take over as Wimmera Development Association’s executive director in mid-august.
He has been a prominent figure in regional agricultural development and has Master’s degrees in Organisational Communication and Agribusiness and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology.
Mr Sounness has spent more than five years at the helm of Birchip Cropping Group, BCG, a position he said he still enjoyed.
He said he was moving into the new role based on his personal circumstances
and exciting opportunities emerging in the region.
“I’m really sad to leave my current role. It’s been a privilege working with BCG and great people,” he said.
“It has been, and still is, a great organisation and hopefully we will have opportunities to collaborate moving forward.
“But I’m also excited about the new role. The Wimmera and southern Mallee has a lot to offer and has a real opportunity to grow.
“WDA, working with the community through the shire councils, can help open the door to this opportunity.
“Five and a half years with BCG has given me a lot of experience and helped establish many networks for growth opportunities.”
Mr Sounness said agriculture remained the bread and butter for the region and there were many opportunities for the industry to expand in a variety of directions.
“Digital agricultural right through from the paddock will create a lot of opportunities, as will specialist crops and processing to meet consumer desire for choice,” he said.
Mr Sounness added that growing renewable-energy interest in the region, tourism and the service industry presented other obvious opportunities.
“We need to make business as easy to do as possible in our region – to promote the Wimmera and southern Mallee as a place where people are keen to invest,” he said.
Wimmera Development Association chairman Kevin Erwin said Mr Sounness had a proven track record.
“We’re lucky to get hold of him,” he said.
“We’ve come up with a really good person to fill the position.
“He’s already been involved in WDA and his local knowledge of the area and his connections will be a great advantage.
“It’s a unique role. Ralph Kenyon took it to a high level and Mark Fletcher has done a great job filling in and keeping everything on an even keel during a long recruitment period.
“The role is basically a development broker who helps, through procedures and process, the transition of something from being a concept or idea to a reality.”
“Five and a half years with BCG has given me a lot of experience and helped establish many networks for growth opportunities” – Chris Sounness