Dairy Women’s Network Appoints New General Manager and Trustees

The Dairy Women’s Network announced today it has appointed a new General Manager, Dr Nita Harding, to the position of General Manager.

Dr Harding was formerly a Business Manager with AsureQuality Limited where she was responsible for business development, strategic and financial planning and reporting, client and stakeholder relationships and compliance for the Veterinary Services Team. Dr Harding holds a Veterinary Science degree from Massey University, a MACVSc in Animal Welfare and an MBA from University of Waikato.

The appointment of Dr Harding follows the announcement by the Network in May that its former General Manager, Lynda Clark, will step down from the General Manager position after seven years in the role. Ms Clark will remain on the Network’s Trust Board.

Dr Harding will start in her role as General Manager on 19 July.

Speaking of Dr Harding’s appointment, Dairy Women’s Network Chair, Robyn Clements, says “the Board is delighted to announce the appointment of someone of the calibre of Dr Nita Harding to the General Manager role. She brings a strong business management background, including extensive experience in business strategy and finance.

“Her passion for professional development - given the benefits she found from completing her MBA with distinction in 2008 - aligns well with our Network's plans to continue expanding opportunities for dairying women’s professional development. Nita's networks from working in the primary sector for a number of years are also helpful to our organisation.”

Dr Harding says she’s excited about taking the Network to the next level for the benefit of dairying women throughout New Zealand.

“The Dairy Women’s Network has established itself as the leading organisation for continuing education and professional support for dairying women and has been influential in enabling women in the industry.”

“I’m looking forward to putting in place further educational opportunities to empower dairying women. It’s also important our women understand the industry and marketplace they operate in and how they play an important role in the success of New Zealand Inc,” says Dr Harding.

The Dairy Women’s Network also announced today some changes to its trust board. Firstly, one of the founding trustees and former chair, Willy Geck, has stepped down from the board after 11 years of service.

Speaking of Mrs Geck’s retirement from the board, Robyn Clements says, “Willy's outstanding contribution and leadership to the network has been significant since its inception. We will formally farewell her at our annual general meeting in October."

Additionally, the Network has appointed two new trustees to its board: Chris Stevens and Toni Laming.

Chris Stevens has been involved with the Dairy Women’s Network for many years in various leadership roles. She and her husband run a 1500-cow dairying operation on farms at Rotorua and Tirau. Toni Laming is a former senior executive with Fonterra and held the positions of General Manager of International Operations and General Manager of Corporate Strategy.

"Our board welcomes these two new trustees, who both bring considerable expertise and a passion for dairying and we are looking forward to working with them," says Ms Clements.

-END-

Media Contact:
Robyn Clements
Dairy Women's Network Chair
reclements@xtra.co.nz
07 8722872 027 650 6666

Full Bios of General Manager and New Trustees

General Manager - Dr Nita Harding BVSc, MACVSc, MBA (Dist)

Dr Harding comes to Dairy Women’s Network from a position as a Business Manager in AsureQuality Limited. AsureQuality is a state owned enterprise employing approximately 1700 people in New Zealand and Australia, and undertakes a wide range of auditing, inspection, testing and certification activities across the primary production sector. Her role as a Business Manager was to manage all aspects of a professional business unit, the Veterinary Services Team, as a business, within the larger business. This included staff management, business development, strategic planning, financial planning and reporting, client and stakeholder relationships, and compliance. She had a team of 12 who are located in a number of different regional offices around New Zealand. The main areas of work for her business unit were animal disease control management, and certification, inspection and auditing within the agricultural sector.

Dr Harding has a veterinary science degree from Massey University, and over her career has worked in clinical practice in New Zealand and United Kingdom, in the meat industry, with technical management of the Animal Health Board bovine tuberculosis control scheme, and most recently in the export certification area. All of these roles have involved interaction with farmers, and service providers, including government departments, within the agricultural sector. She also contributes to the New Zealand Veterinary Association by holding an executive committee position for a special interest branch.

Dr Harding is a firm believer in the value of continuing education. In 2001 she sat and passed membership exams for the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Animal Welfare, becoming one of the first New Zealand veterinarians to gain this qualification. Two years ago she completed an MBA, with distinction, at Waikato University. This study enabled her to meet and work with senior executives from a wide variety of backgrounds. She learned about business in a range of sectors, and gained valuable skills in working with people in a voluntary setting.

Trustee – Chris Stevens, B.Tech(Biotech)

Chris has been involved with the Dairy Women’s Network for many years in leadership roles as Regional Group Convenor and Chair of the local Dairy Women’s Network conference committee in Rotorua. She also holds a number of leadership roles in her local community. Chris has a lifetime interest in dairying, starting as a dairy farmer’s daughter and through her work in number of roles in the dairy industry. She has farmed with her husband for many years and they have expanded their business to 1500 cows after starting as sharemilkers.

Trustee – Toni Laming, B.Sc(Chem/App.Chem); AMP (Insead)

Toni is a former senior executive with Fonterra, holding the positions of General Manager of International Operations and, previously, General Manager of Corporate Strategy. Prior to this Toni had senior management leadership roles in large businesses in New Zealand and overseas. Toni grew up in a farming family in South Africa with her passion for dairying developed further as a result of her work with Fonterra over the last five years. Toni’s leadership roles in business have included a strong interest in actively being involved in the technical and leadership development of individuals, and well as personally coaching a number of young people. Toni enjoys competing in multi-sports, including the Coast to Coast.

ENDS

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