Background of Ian Johnson

• Twenty-seven years experience in sales, marketing, and business management and business development in the rural industry including seven years with Elanco Products Company (Division of Eli Lilly).
• Managed and expanded both retail and wholesale rural business, in the ten years with Ellco Stockmans Pty Ltd (IAMA Member)
• Former Trainer & Agsafe Accreditation & Agsafe Consultant for Ellco Stockmans Pty Ltd.
• Seven years Sales & Marketing Manager for Australia and New Zealand in Agricultural Market, whilst with Cobbett/Australian Harvestore Products Pty Ltd. A company that marketed feed additives, spray adjuvants, plant growth promotants, silage inoculants, hay preservatives and liquid fertilisers.
• Business Development Manager & Regional Sales Manager in the Stock feed Industry whilst with Castlegate VGS Pty Ltd for almost 3 years.

Key qualities

• Results driven- proven performance in growing business in terms of sales and profitability.
• Positive, enthusiastic, supportive & helpful style. Excellent customer service skills.
• Consultative, supportive, "hands on" management style which has resulted in strong teamwork
• Very strong organizational skills as demonstrated by proven ability to improve efficiency in logistics & despatch, inventory management, implementation of advertising and marketing programmes, organisation of field days, national sales conferences, group meetings, organisation of itineraries for Australian & NZ tours with overseas supplier visitors.
• Effective trainer & consultant of the Agsafe Accreditation Programme when in that role.

Example of Ian Johnson's achievements

• As Wholesale Business Manager for Ellco Pty Ltd (former IAMA member) grew sales from $1 m/pa to $7 m/pa in first 4 years.
• As Retail Manager for Ellco Farm Supplies Orange NSW played essential role in the business receiving "Outstanding Small Business Award" as well as growing sales from $4 m/pa to $5.5 m/pa & supervising16 staff.
• During role as a director on board of management of Ellco Stockmans Pty Ltd, a major agricultural merchant Retail/Wholesale business, grew sales from $3M/pa to $ 30 M pa. & the number of outlets from 1 to 12. Staff numbers from 9 to 65.
• During role as Agsafe Training & Accreditation Manager & Consultant initiated Agsafe Premise Accreditation procedures for approximately 50 IAMA Rural Retail stores & trained & successfully accredited approximately 75 staff.
• As Sales & Marketing Manager, Australia & New Zealand, for the Reseller/Distributor Products Division of Cobbett Pty Ltd /Australian Harvestore Products Pty Ltd set up distribution operations growing the number of rural stores selling their range 5 fold and increasing sales 7 fold.
• Whilst Sales & Marketing Manager took the sales of a new liquid fertiliser range from $24,000 pa to $820,000 pa within 12 months & number of outlets selling the range from 10 to 150
• As Business Development Manager and Regional Sales Manager in the Stockfood industry for Castlegate VGS Pty Ltd played a major role in the successful product development, marketing and sales of a wide range of major and niche stockfeed products.
• Whilst with Elanco Products Company was awarded the "Management Advisory Award" for best results to plan ahead of 20 other Sales Representatives/Territory Managers throughout Australia.

Testimonials and references are available on request.

Qualifications

• Qualified with Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training-TAFE NSW
• Qualified with Basic Methods in External Teaching –OTEN TAFE NSW
• Diploma in Applied Science (Agriculture), Wagga Agricultural College, Wagga Wagga NSW.
• Accredited Consultant with the "Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants" (AAAC)
• Member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science & Technology (MAIAST)
• Accredited by Agsafe for the sale & handling of agricultural chemicals & veterinary products
• Accredited by Chemcert for the use and handling of Farm Chemicals