President

Dr Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens, the founder of Meridian Agriculture, has almost forty years’ experience in directing, managing and advising small and medium sized agricultural businesses. He has developed and directed industry projects, and consulted extensively on succession and transition in business. Before establishing Meridian Agriculture Mike worked as farm manager and managed very large holdings.

Mike holds a Diploma of Farm Management, an MSc, and a PhD (Farm Business Succession.) He is a Fellow of Ag Institute Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Churchill Fellow.

He lives at Yendon with Jo, his wife, where they are regularly visited by their four children who bring interesting grandchildren, stimulating conversation and good red wine.

Secretary

Ross Furness

Board Member

Jane Valpied

Board Member

Paula Nicholson

Paula believes her membership of the BMI Board allows her to assist in the facilitation of the maximum usage of this iconic facility in the CBD, inspiring collaboration with organisations concentrating on education, research, heritage, information dissemination, and community building.

Paula returned to live in Ballarat over 25 years ago, and has been active in the Not for Profit sector in Fundraising, Events, Community Engagement and Governance for over 15 years across a range of local organisations.

Having a long-term connection with Ballarat, she attended Ballarat College as a Boarder for the final two years of her secondary education, then completed a Science Degree at Melbourne University majoring in Psychology. Paula went on to subsequently work in Business Analysis, Human Resources, Customer Service and Management, in Melbourne and Singapore for multi-national Dunn and Bradstreet.

In 1996 she returned to Ballarat where, with her husband, they purchased the generational family business, Nicholson Construction. Having grown up in the small regional community of Nhill, Paula has an understanding of the way smaller communities can work together to create opportunities for advancement, investment and growth. She believes that Ballarat is a wonderful and unique place to live and one where those who wish to, can make a real difference to the future of this prosperous regional centre by getting involved and making and leveraging connections of their own.

To this end, she sees herself as a Community Builder and is committed to utilising her experience and large network to encourage the broader community to be involved with both the heritage and future of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute.

Board Member

Malcolm Roberts

Malcolm Roberts is Ballarat born and educated. He has had a varied business career in hospitality, corporate management and senior management where he was responsible for delivering high levels of customer service. Malcolm has a firm commitment and passion for the Ballarat community and the region, supporting local small businesses and understands their impact on the economy of our great city. Malcolm sits on the Ballarat Art Foundation Board and is a proud Alfredton Rotarian.

Board Member

Cathy Drake

Cathy is a commercial lawyer and a director of Nevetts Lawyers.  She has lived and worked in Ballarat for over 25 years, and in that time has been involved in a number of local community not for profit organisations as a board or committee member and as a volunteer.