RALPH Kenyon is Wimmera Development Association’s new leader.
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Executive director Jo Bourke – who has lead the organisation for six years – will resign this month.
Mr Kenyon will start in the position on November 23.
He has previously worked in economic development and infrastructure, and was also appointed the inaugural chief executive of the Port of Hastings Corporation in 2004.
Mr Kenyon said he was looking for a new challenge and wanted to use his experience to further develop the Wimmera.
“I am very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and am looking forward to promoting our region and its potential,” he said.
“I will be based at the WDA offices in Horsham and am keen to get around the Wimmera to meet everyone involved.
“Building further on Mrs Bourke and her team’s success is something I accept with confidence and determination for the region.
“I am passionately committed to placing the Wimmera at the absolute centre of everything we do.”
Mr Kenyon’s other previous roles include establishing an economic development strategy for the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and serving as the shire’s economic development manager for six years.
Wimmera Development Association chairman Kevin Erwin said Mr Kenyon was an exceptional leader with an outstanding track record.
“Mr Kenyon was chosen in a competitive selection process from a strong field of candidates,” he said.
“He is known for his collaborative leadership style and for building high-performance teams.”
Mr Kenyon and his wife will relocate to Horsham this month.
Horsham Rural City Councillors voted on Monday to present Mrs Bourke with a letter under deal to recognise her 30 years of service to the Wimmera community.
She was the first female councillor appointed to the former Dunmunkle Shire in 1986, and also served as Wimmera Catchment Management Authority chairwoman.
She chaired the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline project’s planning group from 2000 to 2005.
She later became the project’s liaison officer from 2006 to 2009 before being appointed Wimmera Development Association executive director in 2009.
