OUR COMPANY
OUR PEOPLE

Richard Brian Hughes (Cert Ag)
Chairman - Non Executive Director
Richard and family currently operate two large scale cattle properties in central Queensland – Wentworth Station and Strathalbyn, and hold business interests in the town of Moranbah.  A total of 20,000 mixed cattle are run in conjunction with approximately 3,000 hectares of cultivation that includes some irrigation.

Charles Kivas Mort (Ass Dip App Sc - Animal Production and Nutrition)
Managing Director
Charlie established Mort & Co to address the growing demand, by processors, for a regular and consistent supply of competitively priced quality lot fed beef cattle.  Charlie’s early identification of this demand positioned the business at the forefront of a growing industry, and has resulted in solid growth. In addition, the alliances that Charlie formed with processors, producers and lot feeders saw Mort & Co grow from an annual managed turnover of approximately $1.7 million in 1997/98, to in excess of $130 million 7 years later.

Leslie William Dunstan
Non-Executive Director
Over the past 30+ years Les has held several executive and senior management positions with Primac and Primac Elders in Queensland and New South Wales.  In particular, Les was the general manager of Primac Elders Limited (part of the Elders Group) from January 1997 until July 1999. This role included business planning for the functional responsibility, rationalisation and the profitable turnaround of the network comprising 75 branches and several hundred staff in Queensland and New South Wales. In 1999, Les left Primac to pursue his professional interest in providing management consulting that focuses on improved profitability through the development of strategic business.

Kevin Philip Blinco (B Bus CA)
Non-Executive Director
Kevin is a chartered accountant with 25 years experienced in the areas of business services and planning, investment strategies, management and financial advice.  Kevin is recognised as an expert in rural management operations advice.  Kevin is a director of the accounting firm Moore Stephens Brisbane Pty Ltd, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia.

EXECUTIVES

David Porter (B Bus)
Chief Financial Officer
David joined the company and was appointed the Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer in February 2005 and is responsible for the company’s risk, compliance and financial functions.  David has extensive experience in rural sector industries having previously held positions with the State Wheat Board / Bulk Grains Queensland, Namoi Cotton (as GM Finance & Admin), and Grainco.

Geoffrey Harris (Cert Ag)
Livestock Manager
Geoff joined the company in 1997 as Livestock Manager. Prior to this, Geoff was instrumental in developing Lemon Tree Feedlot operation and also managed a large farming operation. Geoff has managed his own beef cattle trading business where he gained experience in all aspects of beef cattle buying, backgrounding and lot feeding. Geoff is responsible for the management of feeder cattle procurement, production and supply of lot fed beef cattle in accordance with specifications. 

Scott Braund B Bus (Ag Com)
National Feedlot Manager
Scott joined the company as National Feedlot Manager in early 2005. Prior to this role he was responsible for national lot feeding operations within a large vertically integrated beef processing company. In his current role, Scott has the charter of expanding and operating the Mort & Co Lot Feeders group of feedlots. The role encompasses a range of functions including the overall management of 60+ staff, development and maintenance of business relationships, daily operational control, project and financial management.

Michael Buster (B Com CPA)
Group Accountant
Michael joined the company in January 2005 and is responsible for the Financial Reporting, Taxation Affairs, Insurance, Funds Management and other financial aspects of the company. Prior to joining Mort & Co, Michael spent 3 years in Public Practice at the Sunshine Coast.

Pamela Ryder
Office Manager
Pam joined the company in 1997 and has assisted with implementation of internal strategies and systems to enable timely reporting and management of the company’s financial requirements. Prior to joining Mort & Co, Pam was with Primac for 14 years.

Ben Maher
Manager - Grassdale Feedlot
Ben is responsible for the overall operations of the Grassdale Feedlot and farm.  This involves overseeing the construction and development of stage one (30,000hd) as well as staffing and establishing all procedures associated with a new feedlot.  Prior to joining Mort Lot Feeders in 2007, Ben has had previous feedlot experience including developments with McDonald Holdings and Teys Brothers at Condamine. He has also been involved in pastoral management with Harvey Beef in Western Australia along with meat processing and marketing in Southern Queensland.  The new Grassdale Feedlot provides an excellent opportunity to be responsible for and develop a state of the art facility using the latest and most efficient technology available in today’s feedlot industry.

Mark Byrne
Manager – Gunnee Feedlot
Mark is responsible for the day to day operation of the Gunnee Feedlot and farming enterprises. This role encompasses the management of 15 personnel to efficiently produce grain fed cattle primarily for southern markets. Prior to joining the company, Mark held senior management positions with the Twynam Group throughout New South Wales.   

Martin McDonald (B. AgEcon UNE)
Grazier Services Manager
Martin joined Mort & Co at the start of 2007 to manage the Grazier Services division. For the previous 10 years, Martin worked in regional and national sales and marketing management roles in the animal health and livestock identification industry focused on servicing livestock producers, livestock exporters and lot feeders. Martin has considerable commercial feedlot management and practical cattle and beef marketing experience gained during his 10 years with Twynam Pastoral Company in New South Wales. He established the feedlot quality assurance programs for their two feedlots and managed the marketing, sales and logistics of the breeding, backgrounding and lot feeding enterprise for three and a half years.