Board
Verterra established a Board structure early in its development, demonstrating its adherence to the principles of sound corporate governance. Our growth plans incorporate provisions for expansion of the board composition to incorporate specialist skills required in line with demand as the company grows, and an Advisory Board that can bring a diversity of thinking and innovation to facilitate growth of the company. We maintain a list of potential Fiduciary and Advisory Board members as part of our growth planning strategy.
Graham Thomsen– Chairman
Graham joined Verterra as Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2014. He brings a rare combination of strategic leadership and technical expertise, combined with a wealth of governance and industry experience. Graham has previously held Board positions with the Queensland Bulk Water Transport Authority, Southern Regional Water Pipeline Company Pty Ltd and Wide Bay Water Corporation.
Graham holds an Associate Diploma in Civil Engineering from Queensland University of Technology. He has a professional background in consulting engineering, water management and major infrastructure development.
Graham is a Registered Professional Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Life Member of Consult Australia, a member of the Institute of Public Works Engineers Australia, a Past Federal Director and Life Member of the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Accredited Mediator of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia.
Graham has held the role of Project Director in delivering a variety of large water infrastructure projects including Gold Coast Water Coombabah Water Future Program, Redland Shire Council Cleveland Wastewater Treatment Works and Redland Shire Council Infrastructure Program. The latter program was awarded an Institution of Engineers National Award for Engineering Excellence.
Graham's vision for ecological engineering is illustrated by his role as leader of one of the first rigourous studies into beneficial re-use of effluent in Queensland, and subsequent oversight of one of the largest beneficial water re-use projects in Australia.
Dr Glenn Dale – Managing Director
Glenn combines detailed technical knowledge with operational management expertise and commercial experience. His early career was in tropical forest inventory and management before undertaking doctoral studies in molecular genetics and tree breeding. Glenn undertook postdoctoral research in the US on plant genetics. He returned to Australia as the Technical Manager of a private forestry biotechnology company where he was responsible for several large commercial forest biotechnology research projects.
Glenn established Verterra (formerly Tree Crop Technologies Pty Ltd.) in 1999 before establishing Saltgrow Pty Ltd in partnership with Yates Ltd to continue development and commercialisation of clonal eucalypt hybrids bred for salt and drought tolerance. Glenn’s work on Saltgrow hybrids was nominated as a finalist for the inaugural Institution of Engineers Australia National Salinity Prize in 2002, and was runner up in the 2004 Australian Museum Eureka Science Prize for Industry.
Glenn has international experience working in the United States, New Zealand, Brazil, England, Spain, Portugal, Columbia, Malaysia, and China. He has served on the Plant Breeders Rights Ministerial Advisory Committee and currently holds the position of Adjunct Associate Professor within the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture at the University of Southern Queensland.
Glenn holds a BSc with Honours in Forestry, a BSc in Biochemistry from the Australian National University, a PhD in molecular and quantitative genetics of forest trees from the University of Queensland and an MBA from Queensland University of Technology.
Susan Dale – Financial Controller
Susan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemistry and a Diploma of Education specialising in mathematics. She has managed Verterra’s finances since its inception in 1999. From 2003 to 2004, Susan was Treasurer of DebRA Queensland, a not-for profit charity working on behalf of people with the genetic skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).
Susan has taught secondary school mathematics in Bundaberg and Brisbane, and spent a year as Head of Mathematics at St Josephs Catholic College, Tenaru in the Solomon Islands. Susan worked as an analytical chemist in toxicology and food commodities from 1991 to 1994 before heading a soil science laboratory at North Carolina State University in the United States.
Susan’s background in analytical chemistry and soil science, combined with her skills in mathematics and finance management provide a unique understanding of the technical and financial dimensions of the business.