CHAIRMAN Robert Fordham
began his career as an accountant but the lure of
politics led him to Parliament in 1970. From 1982 - 89
he was Deputy Premier of Victoria, retiring from
politics in 1992. He is now Chairman of the East
Gippsland Water Authority and has been Chairman of the Narkoojee Board since 1998.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Harry Friend was raised on the dairy farm, which is now
home to the Narkoojee vineyard and winery. He graduated
from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Engineering
and spent most of his career as a Civil Engineer. He
retired from his position as Lecturer in Civil
Engineering at Victoria University in 1994 to manage the
Narkoojee winery and make wine on a full time basis.
DIRECTOR Professor Peter Sheehan joined the
Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at
Melbourne University in 1972, where he was editor of the
Australian Economic Review from 1975-1978. In 1982 he
became Director General of the Department of Management
and Budget in the Victorian Government, a position he
held until the early 1990s. Over his career he has
published twelve books and about 50 journal articles.
Peter is Founding Director of the Centre for Strategic
Economic Studies at Victoria University in Melbourne.
DIRECTOR Ken John has been involved in all
aspects of wine & hospitality for over 32 years. He
joined the industry at the age of 25, working in wine
retail at Duke & Moorfield. Crittendens, and his own
business, Gipps St Cellars in East Melbourne. Later, he
became Cellarmaster with Miettas in Melbourne, and wrote
a column for The Age newspaper. Ken has worked as a
consultant for Flinders wine wholesalers and many
restaurants including Miettas Queenscliff, The Point and
Church St Enoteca. He is Chairman of Hockey Victoria.
DIRECTOR Max Wallis has been involved in the Road
Stabilisation Industry for some forty years and now
manufactures and markets 'Polyroad' worldwide.
He has assisted Harry and Val Friend plant vines, press
grapes and bottle wine from the inception of Narkoojee
and now enjoys the products of a fine winery.
DIRECTOR Bruce Rasmussen is
Deputy Director of the Centre for Strategic Economics
Studies at Victoria University where his work has
focussed on business strategy and industry development
issues. Previously, he spent seven years at the ANZ Bank
in various business strategy roles, most notably as
Chief Manager, Retail Strategy in the Retail Bank and
Chief Manager, Development of the Private Bank. In
Government he was Assistant Director General, Finance in
the Victorian Department of Management and Budget and
was a board member of a number of government bodies.
Bruce became involved with Narkoojee as a consultant on
business strategy, before joining the board.
