Babinda cane grower Stephen Calcagno wants to ensure the best decisions possible are made for growers at all levels when it comes to shipping sugar.
Mr Calcagno was appointed to the Sugar Terminals Limited board at their annual general meeting this week.
Canegrowers took the unprecedented step of endorsing Mr Calcagno as their candidate for the board back in September.
He replaces retiring director and Mossman grower Drew Watson on the board and will join Mackay grower Tony Bartolo who was elected by G-Class shareholders in 2018.
Mr Calcagno said while there was a lot of uncertainty around at the minute, he still sees a bright future for the industry.
“STL owns Queensland’s bulk sugar shipping facilities so its management is critical to maintaining Australia’s reputation as a reliable supplier of quality sugar to the world market,” Mr Calcagno said.
“Along with that, the company must also provide a dividend to shareholders, many of whom are cane growers.”
More than 4.6 million tonnes of raw sugar and other bulk commodities, including molasses, wood pellets, gypsum and silica sands, are handled by STL terminals each year.
Canegrowers chairman Paul Schembri said grower interests were in safe hands with Mr Calcagno.
“He is an experienced representative dedicated to his fellow growers who is also open minded and forward-thinking, meaning he will work with other board members for the benefit of the company and the industry as a whole,” Mr Schembri said.