Devon County Agricultural Association (DCAA) appoint new Chief Executive

John Lee, Chairman of the Council of DCAA, announced today that the Board of Management has approved the appointment of Richard Maunder as their new Chief Executive (Designate).

Mervyn Hosking, the current Chief Executive and Association Secretary, announced his decision to retire after 12 years distinguished service after the 2012 Devon County Show. Richard will take up his new role on 28 May 2012

John Lee commented ‘We were fortunate to have had an excellent field of well-qualified candidates for this post, but Richard’s commercial and business experience, his knowledge and his dedication to the farming and food producing communities of Devon made him an outstanding candidate. I am confident that the DCAA will go from strength to strength under his leadership.’

Richard Maunder has worked in the agricultural sector in the South-West for the last twenty-two years and comes from a Devon family who have been involved with farming and food for generations. Trained as a Chartered Accountant, he worked for Lloyd Maunder for almost twenty years, latterly as Joint Managing Director, until the company was acquired by 2 Sisters Food Group in January 2008. He worked for three years with the new company being responsible for the integration of Lloyd Maunder into the 2 Sisters Group structure. Richard has attended the Devon County Show every year since he was a small boy and now attends with his own children.

Richard commented, “I am proud to have been born, educated and employed in Devon and now relish the opportunity to have a role working for the wider community in this great county through the office of DCAA Secretary and Chief Executive. DCAA not only has an important role to promote and support food and farming in Devon but also to promote understanding between the farming community and the wider public. The County Show is a wonderful showcase to do just that and am delighted to have the opportunity to continue and enhance the good work achieved so far.’