There is a strong farming background through the TGS staff. This grassroots experience coupled with our strong scientific base enables us to utilize the best available technology to provide practical innovative solutions to the challenges of modern agriculture.

Shane Fitz Gerald {Director}
Developing a passion for agronomy growing up on the family farm in the Lockyer Valley Shane attended the University of Queensland and completed a degree in agricultural science. A strong interest in plant health developed with failures of conventional control methods in small crops at the time. Shane worked within the QDPI for two years before leaving to establish a consultancy working in the North Queensland Banana industry.

Initially working mainly with plant pathology the business expanded to include plant nutrition and EnviroScan soil moisture monitoring. Shane saw a link between plant health and agronomy, which was reinforced by introduction to the theory of cation balance. This initiated a great deal of research and literature review and culminating in publication of the paper “ A survey of Sigatoka levels of banana and soil calcium levels in North Queensland. At this time Shane was introduced to the Petrik system.Realizing the system far surpasses all the systems covered in the years of research, TGS was formed based upon the Petrik Wholefoods system. In subsequent years the Petrik system demonstrated its robustness by highlighting previously unknown soil chemistry relationships in tropical North Queensland.

Colin Rick (Business Manager)
Colin Joined Total Grower Services back in December 2007 having been involved in various agricultural appointments across North Queensland since leaving school.

Colin’s family was one of the original pioneering families that commenced growing bananas at Mission Beach back in 1954, & has seen many changes in the industry since that time, & welcomes the different approach to farming that the Petrik System offers.

Anita Davina (Agronomist / Productivity Manager)
Growing up and working on her family's banana farm in Kennedy, Anita developed a strong interest in agriculture. This led her to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science at the University of Queensland from which she graduated with Honors.

Anita initially began working with Shane Fitz Gerald back in 2000 while the business was trading as Fitz Gerald Horticultural Consultancy.

Anita re-joined the TGS team in 2006 on a part time basis while she and her husband raise their 3 children.

Liam Riedy (Agronomist / Productivity Manager)
Liam grew up in the country town of Stanthorpe surrounded mostly by apples, stonefruit and vineyards. Liam completed a certificate 2 in horticulture at the DPI in Applethorpe after completing year 12 in 2003.

Liam began at the University of Queensland in 2004 studying a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in agronomy and horticulture, where he graduated from University in June 2007 and started with Total Grower Services in July 2007.

Nathan Pianeda (Agronomist / Productivity Manager)
Nathan attended the University of Queensland Gatton campus before commencing employment as an agronomist on the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland. During previous employment, Nathan was introduced to biological farming and the many benefits of taking a wholistic approach to agriculture. He was fortunate enough to spend some of his time travelling both interstate and oversees presenting seminars in sustainable agriculture. Nathan joined the Total Grower Services team in March 2009.