Summary Area of Expertise:

Qualified horticulturist and horticultural specialist, grower/consultant/advisor – 38 years in intensive agriculture, pot-plant, cut-flower, edible crop production. Greenhouse management and farm design, business planning from concept to bankable, organization & methods, market and sales driven production planning, student training and examination.

Employment & Professional Highlights:

Director – intensive pot plant production & operation        (12 Years Airely Farms 1980 – 1992)

Full responsibility for every aspect of greenhouse and shade-house production and management

Design and management of tropical shade-house nursery on KZN South Coast for the interior plant décor industry

Implementation of Plant Tissue Culture laboratory, all aspects of R&D for production of pot-plant specific plant varieties.

Director – interior plant-scape operation                            (12 Years Gardenair 1980 – 1992)

All horticultural advice and plant selection for use in interior décor business using overseas concepts and styling

Creation of safe environment and use of chemicals for interior décor pest and disease control – both hydroponic and media based

Formulation of successfully branded pot plant food (fertilizer)

Director, owner – intensive greenhouse production farm      (21 Years Rhodiadale Farms 1992 – 2013)

Business plan from concept to full production, design and management

Installation and construction of greenhouses, shade-houses and propagation units – achieving 100% propagation rates, and accurate production tolerances

Administration, management & hands on operation large greenhouse business & farm

Advisory and Consulting Intensive Agri-Hort Industry           (On going 1985 – Current)

Bankable business planning from concept to implementation

Advisory service to Farm Owners, Managers and Staff,  obtaining significant improvement in production based on market driven ratios

Report writing on current status and corrective measures in greenhouse/nursery/farm operation and management – in both ornamental and edible crop production

Feasibility and pre-feasibility research and report back for intensive agri-hort enterprises and SEZ possibilites

Awards:

Regional Winner – Ithala Agri-Business Entrepreneur of the year 2001

Regional Winner – Ithala Agri-Business Entrepreneur of the Year 2003

Agrilek Effective Farmer – Regional Finalist 1993

Durban University of Technology – For outstanding service to Horticultural student training

Skills

Specialist Horticulturist – greenhouse, shade-house and open ground ornamental, cut-flower and edible crop production in Intensive Agriculture – CLF, media and hydroponic

National Examiner and Moderator as well as student training  – horticulture practical examination board

Consultant & Advisor – specialist nursery/farm, greenhouse  organisation & methods improvement and implementation

Intensive farm management & design – from conception, bankable business planning, to full production

Labour Management HR & skills training – application of labour law for both employer and employee

Plant propagation – design & management, hygiene, techniques, programming and systems

Plant Tissue Culture – operation & management

Pest & Disease Control – chemical & biological, implementation, streamlining and programming

Crop production – at all stages – nutrition – insitu, container, CLF & hydroponic systems

Administration, management and accounting to trial balance

BBBEE Projects – designed emerging farmer training short course on all aspects of intensive floriculture

SEZ – research and assistance in presentation and drawing up of prefeasability planning

Hobbies & Interests

Keen fly fisherman, tie own flies. Love of the bush and ocean. Wood-working.

Associations

Kwa-Zulu Natal Flower Growers Association (KZNFGA)      Committee  Member

Intensive Growers Association (IGA)      Past Chairman, currently Vice Chairman

Previously committee member Natal Association of Nurserymen (NAN)