David Ellement has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer for the Wine Industry Association of Western Australia, the state’s peak representative body for wine grape growers, wine producers and wine distributors.

David has worked in the horticulture industry for over ten years with vegetablesWA (WA Vegetable Growers’ Association Inc) in the position of Industry Development. He has been responsible for strategic planning; R&D program management; communication and extension activities and project, staff and financial management.

Mr Ellement replaces Sue Vidovich who will retire at the end of the year following fourteen years with the Association and four and a half years at the helm as CEO.

In addition to industry liason and the day-to-day running of the Wine Industry Association of WA, Mr Ellement will focus on communication, issues management, advocacy and lobbying, strategy, member services, marketing, branding, and the operation of the wine education centre, which, for more than 37 years has delivered wine appreciation and education courses to a wide range of interest groups in WA.

Mr Ellement is hoping to bring a fresh approach to the Association. “It is an exciting and developmentally important period in the history of the wine industry in Western Australia, and I am looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to work within this innovative industry,” he said. “A clear priority is to talk with industry participants as soon as possible and learn about the issues and opportunities, as they see them.”

Mr Ellement will commence with the Association on 5 January 2009.

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