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Jim van der Poel (left) with Shane Ardern.
FONTERRA HAS paid tribute to retiring director Jim van der Poel, who stepped down after 12 years on the board.
Speaking at the co-op's annual meeting in Palmerston North yesterday, Fonterra chairman John Wilson described the Waikato farmer as a "hard working director".
"I have personally known Jim as a farmer and director for the past 20 years," he says.
"Apart from being a passionate and highly successful farmer, he has been a hard working director," he says.
Wilson thanked van der Poel for helping drive the co-op's success.
"He was always ready to step and put his shoulder to the wheel to help out the co-op."
Van der Poel thanked farmers for their support during the past 12 years.
"I really enjoyed my time at Fonterra; there were some challenging times," he says.
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