Richmond Valley Business and Rural Financial Counselling Services (RVBRFCS) Inc is a local non profit organisation that hosts government funded programs to foster regional economic development. Historically this includes the Casino Regional Business Enterprise Centre, the Northern Rivers and the Mid North Coast Rural Financial Counselling Serivces and the regional Aboriginal Economic Development Officer (AEDO) program.

Committed to supporting rural Australia, in October 2006, with support from previous service providers, our organisation won the competitive grant application process to deliver under a new model, rural financial counselling services to the north eastern region of New South Wales.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service NSW - Northern Region is administered from its Head Office based in Casino, and today the organisation employs 12 rural financial counsellors. Outreach offices are located in: Casino, Macksville, Taree, Gloucester,  Scone,  Coonabarabran, Narrabri, Moree, Inverell Armidale, Manilla, and Glen Innes district.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service programme is funded by the Australian Government and the NSW Government, who have committed funding to June 2011.

Board of Directors

Chairman - Gwenda Nipperess - Small business proprietor, Company Director

Deputy Chairperson -  Mark Miller, Chartered Accountant

Treasurer - Michael Ramstadius - Branch Supervisor Greater Building Society

Director - Col Sullivan - Mayor Richmond Valley Council, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA) - Executive Member, Local Government Superannuation Board, Government Financial Services - Chairman, Local Government Procurement Board - Member, Shires Association of NSW - Executive Member (past President).

Director - Ray Porter - Principal and Director of 3 private companies; international experience in the oil seed industry

Director - Greig Lamond, Solicitor

Director - Elizabeth (Sally) Pearmain - Farmer, legal background and previous positions held include Principal Legal Advisor to the Commonwealth Ombudsman and Chief Legal Officer, NSW Department of Agriculture and Project Officer/NSW DPI

Director - Fleur Tonge - Award winning dairy farmer with tertiary qualifications in Commerce, Agricultural Economics and governance,  Community Health

Director - Alan Walsh - Executive Officer, St Vincent de Paul Society managing Diocesan Area from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie

Director - Lynette Zito - Councillor Kyogle Council, Accounting and HRM qualifications and Community Health

Executive Officer
Shirley McNaughton
Shirley has lived in the Casino district most of her life except for three years spent on the Lower Hunter and Mid North Coast. Shirley has a strong rural background in the beef cattle and stock horse industries.

Shirley was the business adviser for 16 years with the Casino Regional Business Enterprise Centre, where she specialised in community economic development and capacity building projects.

Her management role with the sponsor organisation, Richmond Valley Business and Rural Financial Counselling Services (RVBRFCS) Inc has provided her with extensive practical experience in project administration and meeting government departmental reporting requirements.

Her tertiary qualifications include majors in Marketing & Management, Sociology and Economic History (UNE Armidale). Email Shirley McNaughton

Head Office Staff
Executive Officer - Shirley McNaughton
Accounts/Liaison Manager - Gillian Casey 
Accounts Section - Rae Maclean
Accounts Section - Nerelle Hosking
Web Editor - Julie Clifford

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