Staff Changes

While we recognise that a small changeover of staff can be a good thing for keeping an organisation fresh, we are very proud that our staff turnover at Moss Wood has been very low.

However, nothing is forever and in the last year we have seen several of our long-serving people resign.

Perhaps the most notable departure was Aileen Dickhart, who was at that point our longest-serving staff member. Aileen joined Clare and Keith in 1989 when the company office was the spare bedroom at their house in Busselton, everything was written, not typed on a keyboard and our most sophisticated office machine was a fax. It’s curious to share this information with the younger crew at Moss Wood because their bemused response suggests they think the story must be made up. How could businesses run without computers or mobile phones? Readers will understand Aileen saw significant change in the organisation and the Mugford family over that time but took it all in her stride. The move of the office to Wilyabrup in 1991 meant that she drove an 80 kilometre round trip to work each day and to her credit, she kept this up for 17 years! We were all sad to see her leave but all at Moss Wood wish her well in her future.

Jane Patterson, formerly with Alcoa and a red hot West Coast Eagles supporter, has now come on board in Aileen’s role. She’s extremely thorough and doing a great job.

Anyone who has visited or telephoned Moss Wood since 1996 will almost certainly have talked to Amy Sobol. Her friendly manner meant she built numerous friendships with our customers. Her varied role meant she assisted us in all office activities and was a key player with the operation of our computers and use of the internet. However, she will be remembered most for her phenomenal attention to detail and her ability to proof read every document and identify the smallest error! We all thank her very much and wish her well in her current role managing the very prestigious Constellation Apartments in Margaret River. If any readers are looking for a quality place to stay during a Margaret River visit please give Amy a call.

In our Perth office, Jeanette Gee, who joined us in 2006, has decided to move from part-time to full-time studies, in the hope of completing her second degree before her children commence tertiary education. Naturally enough this will leave her with little time for helping with Moss Wood administration work and so she has resigned and we wish her all the best.

In her place we now have Megan Healy. Megan grew up in Busselton and has known the Mugford family for many years. Luckily that hasn’t put her off! She is working part-time because her real job is to be a first year Law/Arts student at the University of Western Australia.

Last but not least, Toby Koch joined us in November to continue on the great horticultural work Mike and Michelle Rossi have been doing for us since 2000. Like Michelle, Toby trained at Kings Park in Perth and is a walking encyclopedia of plants and he continues, amongst other things, our revegetation work and maintenance of the olive grove and all the Moss Wood and Ribbon Vale amenity gardens.

Toby Koch joined Mike and Michelle because there have been big changes in the Rossi household. A very handsome boy, Kota John Rossi, was born 5th December 2008. Everyone is going well and Kota is such a clever boy for choosing such a fine family!