Jim Brennan - Director/Finance and Agribusiness Consultant

Jim Brennan has been successful at most things he has attempted during his life.

Starting with Elders as a clerk, he worked his way up through merchandise, stock sales, to being a branch manager. He opened and ran the first branch at Surat, ran the first video livestock auctions in the state and was one of only two employees in the state to receive an excellence award.

Moving to QIDC in Emerald as manager, he took the branch from having two staff and a nominal lending portfolio, to being the fourth largest branch in the state with substantial lending, chattel finance and term deposit portfolios.

In 1993 Jim left QIDC to start his own business as a Financial and Agribusiness Consultant. Trading profitably virtually since its inception, the business has grown (with virtually no advertising except word of mouth) to having more than 150 clients and 9 staff.

Jim is a successful businessman in his own right, establishing and running a growing business, as well as building his capital during his working life to include significant holdings in real estate, a small irrigation farm and a cattle property.

Derek Mayne - Director/Finance and Agribusiness Consultant

Derek is a graduate of University of Queensland Gatton College, holding a Bachelor of Applied Science (Rural Management). During School and University holidays he worked for a variety of primary producers, gaining experience in the production of cattle, wheat, deer, pigs, goats and poultry.

He has worked in the Central Highlands since 1987. As a graduate he spent three years working for Incitec, marketing fertilizer and chemicals. He then joined the QIDC, managing a lending portfolio.Two months after Brennan Mayne Agri-Business was started, he joined the business, initially as an employee, and two years later as a director.

Derek has also successfully traded in shares, cattle, real estate and managed three successful small businesses.

Richard Crook - Finance and Agribusiness Consultant

Richard has been with Brennan Mayne Agribusiness since October 2000. He also manages investments in feedlot cattle, rural and residential property, and a share portfolio.

He has 12 years of experience successfully managing his own grain, beef and wool property on the Darling Downs. Richard graduated from University of Queensland, Gatton College with honours, specializing in grazing animals.

He has been a tutor at the University of Queensland Gatton Campus, an Angora Goat stud manager at Manilla in New South Wales, a Mohair classer, and show Judge, and the Queensland delegate to the Goat Industry Council of Australia.

Richard is a Commissioner of Declarations and an affiliate member of the Financial Planning Association of Australia. Richard has recently completed his Advanced Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning).

Neville Crook - Finance and Agribusiness Consultant

Neville has a rural background having been raised and worked on his family's property on the Western Darling Downs running sheep, cattle, grain and angora enterprises. In 1983 he graduated from the University of Queensland, Gatton College, with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Rural Technology).

Before joining Brennan Mayne Agribusiness Neville managed the Emerald Branch of Cotton Growers Services for 17 years. CGS services the Cotton, Grain and Horticultural industries with agronomic advice, chemicals, fertilisers and crop finance. Under Neville's management the branch went from a single employee small operation to one of the largest agricultural chemical retailers in QLD. With CGS Neville was mentor to many industry staff and a number of inexperienced farmers.

In his own right Neville has successfully developed, flood irrigation and grown cotton, subsurface trickle and grown lucerne hay and other fodder and a trickle irrigated vineyard producing table grapes. He also runs a small cattle backgrounding enterprise.

Daryle Belford - Finance and Agribusiness Consultant

Daryle is our newest consultant having started in December 05. In 1989 he graduated from the University of Queensland, Gatton College with a Diploma of Applied Science (Grazing Animal Husbandry).

He grew up on a cattle property in the Texas area where his family has been established for 4 generations. After leaving college he worked on a cattle property in the Carnarvon Ranges for a number of years. He then travelled and worked in America in numberous industries including feedlots and an ostrich farm.

When he returned he managed cattle properties in the Arcadia Valley, Rolleston and Bauhinia Downs districts for 12 years. They ranged from single large breeder properties to multi aggregations consisting of breeders through to backgrounding with turnovers exceeding 15,000 head per year.

He brings a high level of hands on experience to Brennan Mayne.

John Chamberlain – Grazing Land Management Consultant

John Graduated from University of Queensland, Gatton College with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Rural Technology) in 1971.

He has worked for DPI as an Extension Officer based at Clermont since 1982, initially in both dryland cropping and beef industries. For the past 15 years John has worked entirely with the beef industry on grazing land management, leucaena and bluegrass management.

The publication of “Parthenium management: Challenges, opportunities and strategies” and the development of management strategies in grazing lands, was the outcome of his research into parthenium ecology and biology through the 1990’s.

John has a long association with grazing land monitoring and education, firstly with the development of “Grass Check” and more recently with “Stocktake” and the MLA Edge network “Grazing Land Management Education” packages.

John has retired from day-to-day work with DPI but is still called upon for pasture recording duties and to deliver at “Stocktake” and “Grazing Land Management” workshops where he can add the value that only comes from experience.

Trish Gretton - Administration Officer

Trish started with Brennan Mayne Agribusiness in February 2006. She grew up on a beef producing property 100km south west of Emerald. After finishing school, she went on to study at Lorraine Martin College where she completed a Diploma of Business. Since finishing her diploma in 2000, she has worked as an Administration Officer in various fields, the most recent being for a hydraulic company in Emerald.

Working along side the other administrative staff, Trish's role incorporates cashbook recording, leasing, financial analysis and general administration.

Trish is your friendly greeting on the phone and is always more than happy to assist you with any enquiries you may have.

Sarah McEwan - Receptionist

Sarah has been with Brennan Mayne Agribusiness since July 2006 and has lived in Emerald for most of her life.

Prior to starting at Brennan Mayne, Sarah has successfully completed two Traineeships with the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE in Emerald and has received her Certificate II & III in Business. After completing her Traineeship with CQ TAFE she worked as a Resourcer at IPA Personnel. She is currently studying to complete her Certificate IV in Business.

Wendy Peberdy - Administration Officer

Wendy started with Brennan Mayne Agribusiness in April 2008.

Wendy moved to Emerald from Mackay in September 2005 to take up a position as Contracts Administrator. Prior to moving to Emerald, Wendy worked as a QAO/Quality Audit & Procedures Co-ordinator with Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal and Administrative Officer/Assistant in various fields in Mackay. Wendy has completed her Certificate IV in Business with Success Training in Mackay and Certificates II and III in Horticulture through the Mackay TAFE.

Working alongside the other administrative staff, Wendy’s role incorporates cashbook recording, leasing, financial analysis and general administration.

Kristy Matheson - Administration Officer

Kristy worked previously for Brennan Mayne Agribusiness in a full time capacity before she left in 2005 to have a family. She now works in a casual position helping out around the office where needed. Kristy works on cashbook recording and helps out other staff members with some of the behind the scenes work.