Ray White Livestock national chief executive Charlie Maher, 48, and Toowoomba beef industry identity John Quintana both died when the Cessna 210 crashed soon after take-off from Roma early yesterday.

Mr Maher moved to Bathurst from Dubbo in 1989 and worked his way up through the local stock and station ranks before recently being appointed the national CEO of Ray White Livestock.

Ray White principal Paul White said Mr Maher was an integral part of the business.

“He was just such a wonderful man,” Mr White said. “This has been a big jolt to us all ... a very sad day.”

Harry Larnach from Ray White Livestock’s Bathurst office yesterday described Mr Maher as a very well-respected member of the rural industry.

Mr Larnach said he had worked with Mr Maher for a year, but had known him for many years as a family friend.

He said he was stunned to receive a call about the crash early yesterday.

“I didn’t actually believe it at first,” Mr Larnach said. “It took three or four more calls before I knew it was right.

“Charlie was a great man. You wouldn’t find a better mentor to work with and he was always trying to help people.

“He would go out of his way to make sure everyone else was right before worrying about himself.”

Mr Larnach said Mr Maher was a popular figure in the industry.

“He was one of the most well-respected agents in the industry,” he said. “There wouldn’t be too many small towns between here and outback Queensland where Charlie didn’t know someone.”

Mr Maher specialised in marketing cattle and had broad industry experience.

He was one of the agents featured in local historian Dennis Tyson’s book, Going, Going, Gone: A History of the Bathurst Saleyards.

Mr Tyson was responsible for first bringing Mr Maher to Bathurst in 1989 to work at his agency.

In his book, Mr Tyson describes Mr Maher as a hard worker who, in the early days, would chop wood at weekends to make extra money.

Mr Maher took over Tyson, Maher in 1991 and took on James Thompson in 1995 to trade as Thompson, Maher.

When Orange agent Michael Clifton joined they became Clifton, Thompson, Maher (CTM) operating in Bathurst and Orange.

The expanding business was bought out by Landmark in 2006 to trade as CTM Landmark, before Mr Maher resigned in 2009 to join Ray White Rural.

Mr Maher’s mother Julie Anne is a prominent Bathurst community worker, heavily involved in the local health community and a member of the Cathedral of St Michael and St John parish council.

He is also survived by his wife Julianne and children Joe, Sam, Will and Georgia.

No funeral arrangements have been finalised at this time.