Jon Parry joins the team at Gurteen College as the new principal, taking up where outgoing principal Mike Paerson left off.

Parry will be the sixth principal since the college’s inception in 1946.

Jon Parry, Gurteen College principal.

Gurteen College is located in Tipperary and has the largest college farm in Ireland, with commercial scale enterprises including dairy, beef, sheep, machinery, tillage and forestry.

Leadership roles

Before relocating to Tipperary, Parry held various leadership roles in the UK.

Most recently, he was head of dairy knowledge exchange at the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

The levy board represents farmers, growers and others in the supply chain.

Parry previously managed a national team of staff, delivering events and advice to dairy farmers, with a specific focus on business improvement and technical performance of dairy farms.

Early years

The new principal studied agriculture at Harper Adams, then further developed his knowledge and skills working on farms across England. Returning to university, he qualified as a teacher and gained a masters in environmental management.

Parry said: “I am very proud to become principal at Gurteen and continue the very successful development of the college, enhancing life in our rural communities and providing our students with the best opportunity to fulfil their own goals and potential.”