Meat works chief retires

Owen Poole, head of the Southland-based meat company Alliance Group, is retiring after 10 years at the helm to spend more time with his family in Wanaka.

Poole was appointed chief executive in 1995, and has commuted to Invercargill from his home in Wanaka every week for 15 years.

He oversaw a major capital restructuring of Alliance, return of the company to 100 per cent farmer ownership, deer-processing facilities established and the purchase and redevelopment of a North Island plant.

In 2003 Alliance bought and refitted a lamb plant at Dannevirke capable of processing nearly a million lambs a season.

Poole steps down in September.

- NZPA