The Tasmanian Development Board

The Tasmanian Development Board is responsible for the industry-related activities of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The board's primary focus is on the creation of investment and associated employment through the implementation of the government’s economic and social strategies. It has specific areas of responsibility under the Tasmanian Development Act 1983 and owns the legal entity Tasmania Development and Resources.

Members of the Tasmanian Development Board are appointed pursuant to Section 5 (3) of the Tasmanian Development Act 1983. Members serving during 2004-05 were:

Denis Rogers, AO
Chairman

Denis Rogers has been Chairman of the Board since 1 November 1998.  Prior to his appointment to the Tasmanian Development Board, he was Regional Director of the Australian Bureau of Statistics in Tasmania and the State Government Statistician for Tasmania. He has extensive experience in financial management, statistics, employee relations, marketing, product development, media and communications and international relations.  He was Chairman of Cricket Australia (Australian Cricket Board) for 6 years and recently retired as Chairman of the Tasmanian Cricket Association -  a position he held for 18 years.  He is currently Chairman of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.  Mr Rogers was appointed as Chairman of the TT-Line Company Pty Ltd in March 2005.  In recognition of his services to the community, his appointment as an officer in the Order of Australia was announced in the Australia Day Honours List for 2002.

Norm McIlfatrick
Director and Chief Executive

As Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and CEO of the Tasmanian Development Board since April 2004, Norm leads a business-focussed team covering wide ranging functions including: export and trade facilitation, investment attraction, industry development, small business support, labour and employment, innovations, Antarctic Tasmania, Screen Tasmania and Sport and Recreation Tasmania activities.

Before taking up these appointments, Norm was Managing Director of Aurora Energy since June 1999.  He was previously a management consultant with PA Consulting, where he carried out major national and international assignments.  Norm has broad experience in senior management including customer service, sales, marketing, engineering services and strategic planning including roles with electricity utility Powercor Australia and the Hydro-Electric Commission in Tasmania.  Norm is a board member of Relationships Australia (Tasmania), the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority and Marchment Hill Consulting.

Peter Gillooly
Director

Peter Gillooly was appointed to the board in June 2003. Mr Gillooly has extensive business experience and most recently held the position of Chief General Manager at Tattersall’s Holdings Pty Ltd. He has held a number of directorships with companies including Burswood Ltd, the Landscape Pastoral Company Pty Ltd, the Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria, and is currently on the board of Acrux.

Keryn Nylander, BA, APRIA
Director

Keryn Nylander was appointed to the board on 20 March 2000. Ms Nylander was formerly News Director for WIN Television Tasmania and a senior consultant with public relations consultancy Corporate Communications. She now runs her own PR consultancy, Nylander Consulting and is a part of the management team of specialist contract winemaking business Winemaking Tasmania Pty Ltd. She is a director of B&E financial institution and a Director of the State's peak wine body Wine Industry Tasmania Ltd. Keryn is a former director of Business North and member of the Premier’s Physical Activity Council.

Jennifer Jarvis
Director

Jennifer Jarvis was appointed to the board in June 2004. Ms Jarvis is Specialist Adviser Energy and External Relations with Comalco Aluminium (Bell Bay) Ltd, a position she has held for more than 10 years. Her career in the corporate, political and media sectors has focused heavily on policy development, strategic planning, corporate relations and issues management. She is a member of the Major Employers Group and has served as Chairman of the Tasmanian State Training Authority, Director of Business North and the Tasmanian Minerals Council and was an inaugral member of the Tasmanian Together Community Leaders Group.

Michael Grainger
Director

Mike Grainger was appointed to the board in November 2004. Mr Grainger is Managing Director of Liferaft Systems Australia (LSA), manufacturer of marine evacuation systems and large capacity liferafts for the international ferry and defence market. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the manufacturing industry and is a member of the Manufacturing Industry Council. He is also a founding member of the Tasmania Maritime Network, a Director of the board of TT-Line Company, a Director of the board of the international shipping organisation Interferry, a Director of the board of the Australian Shipbuilders Association and member of the Det Norske Veritas International High Speed Light Craft and Ferry Committee.

Brett Torossi
Director

Brett Torossi was appointed to the board in January 2006. Ms Torossi is a property developer and project manager with significant experience in urban and residential developments. For the past 12 years she has helped the Bayport Group's expansion from civil construction into the residential development sector. Brett specialises in high-quality residential estates with character. The results are award winning and leading edge, ecologically sustainable developments. Brett is currently completing her masters in Ecologically Sustainable Development and is also director of a non-listed public company, Wallis Watson Capital Ltd, which specialises in residential developments.

Robert Wilson
Director

Robert Wilson was appointed to the board in January 2006. Mr Wilson has been involved in the dairy industry all his life and was former Managing Director of Classic Foods at Edith Creek, a company that processes around 40 million litres of milk annually or about eight per cent of the total current Tasmanian production. Robert is a member of the Premier's Food Advisory Council. He is also a board member of the Cradle Coast Authority and Director of Tasmanian Pure Foods.