Dr Mike Stephens
Director and Senior Consultant
Doctor of Philosophy – PhD (Farming for Generations – Succession), Diploma Farm Management, Master of Science Diploma, Company Directors Course, Australian Institute of Company Directors, AgCredited, Cert IV Workplace Training and Assessment.
Mike is the founder, a Board Director and a senior Business Consultant for Meridian Agriculture. Mike has a farm management, recruiting and a project management background. He provides advice to individual clients specialising in property assessment, strategic succession planning, education, facilitation and industry projects. Mike is very well connected at industry level and enjoys a wide network of professional associates.
0418 508 150
mstephens@meridian-ag.com.au
Jim Shovelton
Director and Senior Consultant
Bachelor Agricultural Science, Diploma of Business: Project Management Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training.
Jim is a Director and a Livestock and Pastures Consultant. Jim has worked in pasture agronomy in the high rainfall areas of eastern Australia for over 35 years. He provides on-farm consultancy, including farm business analysis, farm development programs, pre purchase property assessment and new industry analysis. Jim has a strong project management background where he works with industry and government to deliver outcomes. Jim also provides specific technical advice in agronomy and animal husbandry, with particular emphasis on wool and sheep meat production.
0407 953 445
jshovelton@meridian-ag.com.au
Andrew Speirs
Senior Agronomy Consultant and Director
Bachelor Agricultural Science, Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, Fertcare B and C trainer
Andrew is a Board Member and a senior Agronomy Consultant for Meridian Agriculture. He has an extensive background in grassland farming from a practical perspective. Based in Casterton, Andrew works closely with clients to improve pasture and business management. He has a depth of experience in project management and technical trials and enjoys strong industry networks.
0428 685 172
aspeirs@meridian-ag.com.au
Ben Reeve
Human Resources Consultant and Project Manager
Bachelor of Management (Marketing), Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Certificate in Recruitment and Selection, Leadership Ballarat and Western Region.
Ben Reeve is a Human Resources Consultant and Project Manager with Meridian Agriculture and has been part of the team since 2005. Ben spends his time working with people who are passionate about developing their careers and leadership in the agricultural sector. He provides support and services to businesses on people management, industrial relations and recruitment. Ben also manages and delivers training programs focusing on leadership, people management and communication; including projects for national industry bodies including Dairy Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia. Prior to working with Meridian Ag, Ben has worked in marketing and advertising roles, event management and the education sector.
0416 127 465
breeve@meridian-ag.com.au
Paul Blackshaw
Farm Business Consultant and Director
Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture), Diploma of Community Welfare Work, Diploma of Community Services, Cert IV Workplace Assessment and Training.
Paul is a Farm Business Consultant with Meridian Agriculture. He is a specialist in farm business management with experience in financial analysis, benchmarking, succession planning, industry extension projects, rural financial counselling, strategic leadership and planning.
Paul is based in Rutherglen in north east Victoria and provides on farm consultancy.
0427 546 643
pblackshaw@meridian-ag.com.au
Robert Adés
Chairman and Independent Director
MBA (Dean’s Award for Excellence), Graduate Diploma in Marketing, Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial & Computing)
Robert has an extensive background in Asset Management, Business Administration and Agribusiness. He has served on multiple Boards over 23 years, spanning a range of executive, non-executive and alternate directorships within private, public and trustee companies. His involvement in farming began with his family in the early 1970’s and is both personal and professional. He has sat on farm boards for most of the last 16 years, and remains connected personally through variously family members.
rmades@meridian-ag.com.au
Rosalie Ferdinands
Recruitment Consultant
Diploma of Human resources management
Rosalie is a Recruitment Consultant with Meridian Agriculture and is based in our Yendon office. She has experience recruiting across the agriculture & healthcare sectors and specialises in sourcing high calibre staff across regional Victoria. Rosalie understands the importance of building great relationships and is a member of the RCSA. Prior to working in HR and recruitment, Rosalie worked as a Team Leader in the disability sector, managing the operations of support staff, client portfolios, rostering and respite accommodation.
0475 761 191
rferdinands@meridian-ag.com.au
Sinead Barker
Agronomy Consultant
Bachelor of Agricultural Science with honors
Sinead is pasture and livestock consultant for Meridian Agriculture, based in the Casterton office. She brings experience in both horticulture and grassland farming, and is involved with technical trials and is focused on providing clients with personalised advice around animal and plant production.
0427 041 553
sbarker@meridian-ag.com.au
Andrew Schmetzer
Senior Farm Consultant
Post Graduate Certificate – Ruminant Nutrition, Bachelor of Applied Science Agriculture
Andrew is a senior consultant based at the Meridian Agriculture’s Yendon office. Andrew has a wealth of animal health experience, with a Bachelor of Applied Science Agriculture and a Post Graduate in Ruminant Nutrition. Over the past 32 years Andrew has acquired extensive technical knowledge and practical experience while working in a variety of autonomous roles within the Southern Australian grazing industry, including Farm Management, Confinement Feeding, Corporate Sales, and Marketing & Technical teams, Consulting / Mentoring and Rural Retailing.
0408 366 599
aschmetzer@meridian-ag.com.au
Samantha Van Den Heuvel
Administration Officer – Yendon
Sam is an experienced administration assistant with the Meridian Agriculture team, based at our Yendon office. Sam provides personal assistant support to consultants and clients alike, in addition to undertaking a variety of roles for secretariat projects. Sam brings experience from previous employment across agricultural production, sales and administration focuses.
03 5341 6100
samantha@meridian-ag.com.au
Helen Spratling
Financial Administrator
Cert IV in Bookkeeping and Financial Services
Helen is the Finance Administrator for Meridian Agriculture. Helen brings over 30 years’ experience working with businesses in the areas of payroll and financial management to her role with Meridian Ag. Helen supports Meridian Ag consultants with a range of tasks including invoicing, cost control, payroll, debtors / creditors and tax for the business. She also works as part of the strong Yendon based administration team, providing support to several secretarial projects.
Helen is competent with the following software programs – Microsoft Office; Outlook; Quicken; QuickBooks, MYOB and Pro Work Flo.
03 5341 6100
HSpratling@meridian-ag.com.au
Karen Black
Administration Officer – Casterton
Bachelor of commerce (Accounting, Finance and Management)
Karen has extensive experience in Customer Service and administration, and has strong analytical skills, with good attention to detail. She brings to Meridian her experience from an agricultural background and, with her family, runs a quality beef cattle operation. Karen works part-time providing excellent support to the Casterton team and clients.
03 5581 2826
casterton@meridian-ag.com.au
Angela Inkester
Project and Administration Officer
Bachelor of Business (Tourism)
Angela is the project and administration officer for Meridian Agriculture. She has strong skills in administrative management, project support, analytics and organisational logistics. Ang is the cheery voice at the other end of the phone and a speedy typist. Angela helps to provide administrative and project support for the whole business.
03 5341 6100
ainkester@meridian-ag.com.au
Candice Thompson
Administration Officer
Candice is an experienced office manager and administration assistant. Candice works part-time for Meridian Agriculture and provides support to the team of advisors through scheduling, documentation management and client contact. She works closely with the admin team to provide support to the whole business.
03 5341 6100
cthompson@meridian-ag.com.au
Associates
Alistair Cameron
Workplace Health & Safety Advisor
Associate Diploma Farm Management, Certificate III and IV in Occupational Health and Safety, Diploma of Occupational Heath and Safety, Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment
Alistair is a WH&S Advisor with Meridian Agriculture. Alistair specialises in Workplace Health and Safety. Alistair works with clients in developing WH&S Management systems, facilitates farm safety workshops and training for farming groups and facilitates workplace safety audits and action plans with management/ employees.
0428 968 167
acameron@meridian-ag.com.au
Rod Manning
Beef Production and Farm Management Advisor
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Hons), Cert IV Assessment and Workplace Training
Rod is a Beef Production and Farm Management Advisor with Meridian Agriculture. He has an in depth knowledge of the Australian beef industry and is widely respected for his ability to cover all aspects from production through to marketing. Rod runs 1200 Angus breeding cows in conjunction with his wife Maryke, and until recently ran the Mansfield veterinary clinic
03 5341 6100
info@meridian-ag.com.au
Richard Brookes
Farm Management Consultant
Bachelor of Business (Agriculture), Diploma of Farm Management, Diploma of Financial Markets
Richard is a Farm Management Consultant for Meridian Agriculture. He has a background in farm management and strategic decision making. Richard has owned and / or managed a number of cropping and grazing properties in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia over the last thirty years and has a keen interest in improving productivity through strategic development of the farming resource.
0428 692 409
rbrookes@meridian-ag.com.au
Join Our Team
As a company, we are always interested in talking to people who share our values and approach to work.