Ben Fleay - Managing Director

Ben Fleay is Managing Director of SQP, and sits on all three Committees. Ben held the position of General Manager of Southern Quality Produce Co-operative Ltd from May 2003 until June 2007, and was responsible for growing the business to 120,000mt of grain and $25M in turnover. Prior to joining the Co-operative, Ben was involved in the Australian cotton industry for six years, working as Senior Agronomist for Lachlan Farming Ltd and Twynam Pastoral Co, where he was responsible for the agronomic management of over 10,000 hectares of irrigation. Ben has a Degree in Agricultural Science from Melbourne University.

Katie Lindkvist - Grains Administration

Katie joined the SQP Team in August of 2010 and is one of the Grain Administrator. Based in our Ballarat office she is currently finishing her Business Traineeship. Her background in in restaurant service is completely different to the agricultural business she is a part of now, but has caught on very quickly.

Dan Duggan - Regional Trading Manager

Over the last 8 years Dan has spent time working and studying within the Agricultural sector at both a production and agribusiness level. Dan has worked on various agricultural production ventures including livestock, cropping, cotton production & horticulture. In recent Years Dan has been an active member of the trade working in logistics, contract management, trading and financial services for both domestic and international commodity trading companies in QLD, VIC and SA. Dan joined the team as a grain merchant in early 2010.

Noel Morton - Grain Merchant

Noel’s background has a production focus from the family’s wheat and sheep farm at Newdegate in the South Eastern Wheat belt of Western Australia. In Agribusiness - Noel’s background includes operating a rural agency business in conjunction with Elders Limited at Lake Grace in WA, servicing farmers within the Lake Grace Shire district for over 14 years and selling his interest in the business to Elders in 2007. Noel has extensive experience in the service industry having previously held Business Development and administration roles with Castrol Oil, TNT transport and Total Staffing Solutions.

Simone Dax - Grain Merchant

Simone was born and raised in regional Victoria. With Agriculture being a strong part of her background, Simone completed her Higher School Certificate at Yanco Agricultural High school before moving to Canada for a year to work on a mixed farming enterprise. She thenattended Marcus Oldham College where she grained a Diploma of Agribusiness.  In 2008 Simone started with Riverina (Australia) in logistics based in Leeton NSW, before moving into a trading role in 2009. Simone is extremely excited about being back in Victoria and joining the SQP team in Ballarat.

Aaron Matheson - Northern Regional Manager

Russell Coates - Grain Merchant

Russell grew up on a sheep/grain property at Traynors Lagoon, starting his working career as a mechanic in St. Arnaud & part time farm hand on a property near Charlton in 1993. From his grass roots beginning, Russell has built his career through a trade qualification, followed by attending Longerenong College where he attained an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture from the University of Melbourne. After graduating, Russell has worked as an Agronomist & Branch manager for Landmark & also returned to Longerenong to teach.  Russell commenced with SQP in 2009 as a Grain Merchant based in the Horsham office.

Jess Frankel - Grains Merchant

Jess Frankel is the newest member of the SQP Team. She graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne and has completed a contract for Kondinin Group in 2010. Her experience in the industry is hands on, having grown up on the farm, and worked for GrainCorp for the past five years, Jess has gained a broad understanding of the grain supply chain. Currently working out of the Horsham office, she is undertaking a range of tasks including contract entry, office administration and grower relations, through to Logistics.

Carling Henderson - Grains Administration

Carling joins us all the way from Canada. She moved to the Wimmera in March 2010 and joined our expanding team in July. She graduated in 2006 with her Diploma in Agribusiness and has worked in the Manitoba Agriculture Industry for the past 5 years. She spent the last two years working as an Extension Coordinator/Agricultural Technician with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, a department of the Provincial Government. Carling brings many years of customer service experience as well as knowledge of the Grain Handling Industry to the Horsham Office. In her role as Grain Administrator, she administers and takes care of the contracts throughout the Wimmera & Mallee, as well as inquiries, and basic pricing.

James French - Logistics Coordinator

James grew up in Donald, Victoria and has always been around the Transport and Agriculture industries. Having been involved in most processes that we all deal with from driving grain trucks and  headers to working on Farms in the Wimmera and Western districts.  After spending many years with James & Son and Southern Stockfeeds as Transport Manager, James joins us after managing a Bulk Transport company in country Victoria. With James’ broad range of knowledge, he hopes to bring his past experiences in to assist everyone in their Logistic movements.

Brad Cullen - Grain Merchant 

 Brad Cullen grew up on the family farm at Manangatang before attending Dookie College in 1997.  After University, Brad worked for the AWB in grower services before heading overseas and accepting a risk management role with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in London.  After 12 months overseas he returned to AWB to a role with a grain marketing focus for two years and then moved to the Landmark side of the business as a Rural Finance Manager for 3 years in Horsham.  He then returned to the farm at Manangatang for 2.5 years, whilst also running a grain brokerage business for local farmers.  Brad brings to SQP a genuine love of the Mallee tempered with the professional know-how needed to look after your agribusiness.