Long-time Queensland fresh produce identity Gary Lower was awarded the FMA Meritorious Service Award at this year’s PMA Fresh Connections in Brisbane.
The award was part of the gala dinner held at Brisbane City Hall which was one of the highlight functions to the three-day event.
Mr Lower is a managing director of J Allen Pty Ltd.
He has also been an active member of Brismark for more than 30 years.
He has the honour of being one of the longest serving directors of the Brismark Board and is the longest serving chair in Brismark’s history.
Described as the foundation stone of the Brismark Board, Mr Lower was one of a core group of wholesalers who became the force behind the successful industry based bid to purchase the Brisbane Markets from the State Government in 2002.
During his time on the Brismark Board he has helped strengthen by-laws for an ever-improving Credit Service system.
This has seen the Brismark service grow to become a leader in its field in Australia.
He has the honour of being one of the longest serving directors of the Brismark Board and is the longest serving chair in Brismark’s history.
He also introduced a raft of new services to support Brismark members and continues to be a strong advocate of industry ownership of the Brisbane Produce Markets.
Mr Lower is a strong supporter and contributor to the community.
He has provided aid after natural disasters such as cyclones, the Queensland floods and the Victorian Bush Fire appeals.
Through his family business J Allen Pty Ltd, he provides surplus fruit to Foodbank Queensland.
Some of this food is returned to the regional areas where some growers are doing it tough during the economic downturn.
He is a staunch supporter of Fresh Markets Australia and the central markets push for a fairer, more workable and cost effective mandatory Horticulture Code of Conduct.
Fresh Markets Australia congratulated Mr Lower on the award.
