KVH would like to say a fond farewell and many thanks to David Wells for his invaluable help in maintaining our strong biosecurity connection with the Wanganui region, since 2011, through his role as KVH regional coordinator.

David will now spend a little more time on his passions of tennis and travelling and will continue to champion kiwifruit growers as chairman of the Wanganui Rural Community Board.

The baton now passes to David’s son Richard Wells, providing continuity of connection to the region. Richard has been involved in the kiwifruit industry since his teenage years, working in his family’s orchard and gaining valuable hands-on experience. Now managing a 20-hectare green kiwifruit orchard in Wanganui, he is passionate about sustainability and growing high-quality fruit.

Image: Richard Wells, new regional coordinator based in Wanganui.

Having studied biosecurity at university, Richard sees this knowledge as a key asset in his role at KVH.

Outside of work, Richard enjoys staying up to date with industry advancements and exploring innovative ways to keep New Zealand’s kiwifruit thriving for future generations.

The regional coordinator role supports KVH and growers by providing support in the follow-up of unusual symptoms, helping identify any potential biosecurity issues of regional concern back to KVH and being involved in preparedness for the region in the emergency response management (ERM) space. KVH looks forward to supporting Richard in this new role and urges growers to touch base for a chat.

A full list of KVH regional coordinator contact details can be found here.