Monday, 13 June 2016 16:16

DairyNZ announces new associate directors

Written by 
New associate directors Stu Muir and Jessie Chan-Dorman. New associate directors Stu Muir and Jessie Chan-Dorman.

Two dairy farmers from Canterbury and south Auckland will join the DairyNZ Board of Directors this year.

New associate directors Jessie Chan-Dorman and Stu Muir have been selected to join the DairyNZ board for successive six month terms. Chan-Dorman begins this month and Muir from January 2017.

DairyNZ chair Michael Spaans says Chan-Dorman and Muir bring great industry experience to the roles, which are about providing experience to future leaders, showing first-hand how a board works and what goes into making key decisions.

"It's an opportunity for them to see governance in action and we directors learn from them too, as they inject a fresh approach and new thinking which encourages great discussion on issues," says Spaans.

"Both Jessie and Stu have strengths we will value having around the table this year."

Chan-Dorman and her husband Hayden are dairy business owners leasing 420ha and milking 950 cows at Dorie in Canterbury. She has an honours degree in animal science and has worked in a range of rural professional positions over the past 15 years.

"I hope being part of the DairyNZ Board will help grow my governance skills and maybe allow me to contribute some diverse thinking. This is a tough time for the industry that will require us all as farming businesses and as an industry body to be really clear about our purpose."

Chan-Dorman currently holds governance roles with several organisations, including Federated Farmers national dairy executive and director of Ashburton Trading Society.

Muir is a farm owner, with wife Kim Jobson, milking 500 cows on 140ha at Waiuku.

Muir is an industry leader with roles in a range of environmental initiatives, including project managing a large scale wetland restoration programme on the Waikato River, which has received much local and national recognition.

"I hope being part of the DairyNZ board will not only enable me to expand my knowledge and expertise in governance, but also add a unique perspective based on experience, the ability to think laterally and challenge the status quo, while accepting the viewpoints and experiences of others," says Muir.

"My particular interests are around the environment, health and safety, and finance. I'm extremely grateful to have this opportunity."

Muir also has governance roles with the Lower Waikato River Catchment group and a Waikato Regional Council sub-committee, and was a Fonterra Shareholders Council member.

Five other farmers have been associate directors with DairyNZ since the initiative was introduced in 2013. The associate director positions are non-voting roles and are for dairy farmers wanting to move beyond their farm and into industry leadership.

More like this

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

DairyNZ levy to increase?

Retiring chair Jim van der Poel has used his final AGM to announce the intention to increase the DairyNZ farmer levy for the first time in the industry-good body's 17-year history.

Tributes to retiring 'Jim the farmer'

Doing what is right, not what is easy, has been the hallmark of Jim van der Poel's leadership of, and advocacy for, the dairy industry, attendees at the DairyNZ annual general meeting heard last week.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

National

'Quite a journey'

Former Synlait chief executive Grant Watson says the past two years have been quite the journey.

DairyNZ levy to increase?

Retiring chair Jim van der Poel has used his final AGM to announce the intention to increase the DairyNZ farmer…

Former Fonterra CEO dies

Former Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings passed away in the Netherlands over the weekend.

Machinery & Products

Milk Sustainability Centre launched

The recently announced Milk Sustainability Centre – a collaboration between global giant John Deere and milking and feed specialists De…

Data connection made easier

New Holland and Case IH are introducing new advancements in their precision technology stack to make farming easier and more…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Feed from farmers

OPINION: The country's dairy farmers will now also have a hand in providing free lunch for schools.

Brighter future

OPINION: The abrupt departure of Synlait chief executive Grant Watson could be a sign that Chinese company Bright Dairy, the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter