April Cavanagh

Chair

Appointed to the board on 11/10/2018

Appointed as Chair on 17/10/2024

April is passionate about Agribusiness and Regional Australia. Across her 20 year career she has gained diverse experience in Financial Services, Agriculture, and Manufacturing having worked in Brisbane, Sydney and London before returning to Regional Australia.

She is highly respected for her dynamic leadership style; track record of transforming businesses and ability to get the job done. Through her role at Suncorp and work in the community, she has built an excellent network of contacts throughout the Toowoomba Surat Basin region.

Renowned as a passionate leader in the community, April values making a difference and giving back. She has taken an active role in supporting a number of other community endeavours such as South West Region’s breast cancer van; Toowoomba Hospital Foundation; Aussie Helpers and Yellowbridge.

Kathryn McKeefry

Deputy Chair

Appointed to the board on 15/01/2018

After leaving school, she trained as a registered nurse and worked in the field of Intensive care nursing in New Zealand, USA, Europe and Britain, before returning to New Zealand and completing Midwifery training. Kathryn then practiced for ten years in this role. From here Kathryn moved into administration and completed her MBS. Kathryn moved to Australia in 2009 to work in senior health roles in both Brisbane and Sydney before taking up the role CEO at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Toowoomba. 

Dr John McVeigh

Executive Director

Appointed to the board on 15/10/2020

John was the Federal Member for Groom, based in Toowoomba until he stepped down in late 2020.  He served in Cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, and had extensive experience across a range of regional development, trade and industry related parliamentary committees.

Prior to federal politics John was the State Member for Toowoomba South and served as Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation.

He was previously a Councillor on the Toowoomba Regional Council from 2008 to 2012 where he held the Corporate Services Portfolio and Chaired the External Audit Committee.

Prior to public life John led a Toowoomba based agribusiness consulting practice managing local and international irrigation, aquaculture, beef, cotton, dairy, grains, horticulture, timber, wool and food processing projects.

John’s commercial career prior to politics and consulting included administrative, marketing and management positions in banking, rural merchandise, the grain industry, Department of Primary Industries and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.  He is Chairman of Fibreking Pty Ltd, a privately held Queensland based international packaging machinery company, and has served on various local education, natural resource management and community boards.  He holds a B. Bus. (USQ), a MBA (Bond) and a PhD in Agribusiness Management (UQ).

John is passionate about the agribusiness and energy sectors and sustainable community development.  He is a strong advocate for industry and infrastructure development in regional Australia - particularly that associated with the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project.

Together Anita and John McVeigh have raised their six children in Toowoomba, and they remain proud residents of this leading regional area of the nation.

Stewart Morland 

Director

Appointed to the board on 9/10/2014

Stewart is a career downstream fuel marketer with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Stewart began his career in 1979 with Morland Petroleum, a downstream petroleum company established by his father Reginald Morland.

This hands-on experience across all facets of the petroleum industry provided Stewart with the necessary experience to establish his own fuel distribution company in 1990.

In 1996, Stewart embarked on a joint exploration petroleum project with IOR which led to the discovery of the Inland Oil Field PL98 in 1996 – one of the largest onshore oil fields in Australia at that time.

Stewart went on to become a shareholder at IOR in 2004, and in 2013 became the majority owner of the company along with Ross Mackenzie.

As the proactive and innovative leader of the sales and marketing efforts within the company, Stewart has proudly seen the steady growth of IOR to over 90 talented staff; and the development of a strong brand synonymous with innovation, authenticity and exceptional customer service.

Through the efforts of the team at IOR, the company has been able to expand its product and service offering and now provides a diverse range of petroleum and fluid storage solutions throughout Australia to the transport, mining, municipal and rural sectors.

Louise McMahon

Director

Appointed to the board on 16/10/2025.

Louise McMahon is an experienced General Manager – Strategy and Business Development with over 17 years in the mining and contracting sectors.

A Certified Practising Accountant (CPA), she leads digital transformation, ISO accreditation, and strategic growth at MFE Pty Ltd. Louise actively contributes to economic and regional development, collaborating through roles on the Queensland Manufacturing Advisory Council, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Board and the Chinchilla Community Commerce and Industry Board.

Julie Whitcombe

Director

Appointed to the board on 20/10/2022.

Julie Whitcombe is General Manager of Strategy and Development for CleanCo, a Government-owned Corporation focused on the development and supply of firm renewable energy for Queensland customers. Before her current role, Julie held numerous roles across a range of industries, including eight years with Senex Energy.

Julie’s experience in the resources/energy sector provides her with exceptional insight into one of the region’s largest economic contributors. Julie has a passion for renewable energy and believes in the need for greater investment in infrastructure to allow the growth of renewable power generation and distribution.

Catherine Ardi Brennan

Director

Appointed to the board on 16/10/2025.

Catherine Ardi Brennan is an accomplished business leader and investor with over 15 years of experience spanning heavy equipment, aviation, skincare, and commercial property. She is General Manager and Beneficial Shareholder of Excavation Equipment Group (operating across QLD, NSW, VIC and WA) and Manager and Beneficial Shareholder of Helicopters Australia. Catherine is also the Founder of The Know Skin, and Owner/Investor of the Brenardi Group, a diversified commercial and industrial investment portfolio.

Her career began with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, where she worked as a Business Banker supporting small to medium enterprises across Toowoomba and Brisbane. During her tenure, she was recognised with two CEO Awards for Excellence, including for her leadership and community response during the Queensland floods.

Catherine’s leadership has seen her companies achieve national recognition, including ranking in the AFR Fast 100 and winning Toowoomba Chamber’s Business of the Year. Personally, she has been celebrated as Downs Business Woman of the Year and Future Leader of the Year.

With postgraduate qualifications in strategic leadership and finance, Catherine is committed to building resilient, socially responsible businesses. Beyond her commercial success, she holds a strong passion for charitable work, with a particular focus on the mental health sector, where she is actively involved in awareness-raising and support initiatives.

Diego Tarre Moser

Director

Appointed to the board on 16/10/2025.

Diego is the managing Director of AUSCOIL and he has extensive experience in technically specialised well services operations, including well integrity, cementing, well intervention, technology development and implementation with in depth knowledge in Coal Seam Gas well challenges, and operations.

His impressive international experience spans Indonesia, Pakistan, USA, France, UK, Greenland, Italy, Israel, Spain, and Australia. During these assignments he successfully performed in a number of high-profile engineering and management roles.

Blair Batts

Director

Appointed to the board on 17/10/2024.

Blair brings more than 23 years' experience in Australia and the UK in project management, strategic planning and development oversight within the civil, transport and logistics sectors. Blair started his career with Bornhorst and Ward consulting engineers as a cadet draftsperson working his way to Associate level within the company before commencing his role as Development Manager at InterlinkSQ in 2014. For the past six (6) years Blair has been the General Manager for the InterlinkSQ project which has seen him successfully work alongside government agencies such as Queensland Rail, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) on major infrastructure projects such as the Inland Rail.

Stephen O'Brien

Director

Appointed to the board on 17/10/2024.

A fourth-generation flour miller and baker, Stephen’s affiliation with the food industry began at an early age, when he started as an apprentice with Defiance Milling in Toowoomba. To complement his hands-on training, Stephen completed a tertiary degree in Commerce before undertaking further study with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His combined experiences have allowed him to hold key roles with several listed, privately owned and private equity-based organisations. He has successfully led both food and beverage businesses in all states and territories throughout Australia. Additionally, Stephen has held executive and directorship roles with international companies in the USA, Middle East, Asia Pacific and across the African continent. In 2020, Stephen became only the second CEO of Mort & Co in its 27 year existence. Since his appointment the company has grown substantially, to now employ more than 300 employees and is regarded as a leading Australian Agricultural company.

Mayor Geoff McDonald

Ex-Officio Director

Born and raised in Toowoomba, Geoff is a fifth generation business owner along with his wife Lisa and parents John (Cracker) and Joan McDonald. Their company Cracker Print and Paper has a trading history dating back to 1901. Geoff's dedication to his pre-press trade was recognised with being awarded the Queensland Printing and Graphic Arts Apprentice of the Year in 1992.

Geoff has a long history of community involvement as a patron, ambassador, board member and life member of a number of community, business, sporting and charitable organisations. 

Geoff is a person with strong commitment, enthusiasm and energy to continually improve the lifestyle, economy and global standing of the Toowoomba Region.

Geoff was appointed as Deputy Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council on 23 April 2020.

Geoff was appointed Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council on 21 July 2023.

Sal Petroccitto OAM

Ex-Officio Director

Sal started his working life as a Land Use Planner and has recently joined Council having spent the past 10 years as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Awarded the Order of Australia in 2023 for contributions to the road transport industry, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and having held several high-profile roles within various Government agencies, Sal is delighted to be leading the Toowoomba Regional Council as Chief Executive Officer.