MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
4 April 2017
Impressive line-up for Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year 2017
Three of New Zealand’s emerging dairy industry leaders are finalists in the sixth annual Fonterra Dairy Woman of the
Year.
They are Claire Nicholson from Bay of Plenty, Jessie Chan-Dorman from Canterbury and Jolene Germann from Southland.
Claire Nicholson (Ngāti Ruanui) is a Director of Paraninihi Ki Waitotara (PKW) and Chief Executive of Sirona Animal
Health, Jessie Chan-Dorman is a Fonterra Shareholders Councillor and a Director of the Ashburton Trading Society, and
Jolene Germann is an Agribusiness Consultants dairy consultant and Chair of Rural Business Network Southland.
One of them will receive the coveted Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year title at an awards evening during the annual Dairy
Women’s Network conference, this year held in Queenstown, 11-12 May.
Dairy Women’s Network Chief Executive Zelda de Villiers says a common theme among this year’s finalists is the high
extent to which they contribute to the business of dairy in New Zealand.
“We have three outstanding finalists who are making big decisions and contributions that affect the future of dairy in
this country,” she says.
“They are all recognised as leaders in their networks and communities, are highly influential at a national level and
have a real commitment to progressing our dairy industry internationally.”
Jo Finer, Fonterra’s General Manager NZ Industry Affairs, says Fonterra is proud to have been on board with Dairy Woman
of the Year since it began.
“As an organisation we’re 100% behind initiatives like this that celebrate high performers in the dairy industry.
“The calibre of the finalists this year is outstanding – every year we see incredibly worthy nominations coming through
and I have no doubt each one of them will continue to excel in dairy leadership well into the future.”
Nicholson, a qualified veterinarian, has had several leadership roles in the dairy industry including General Manager
for Intervet New Zealand and business development and marketing manager for Agrifeeds. She says she’s honoured to be
among such a strong group of finalists.
“I’m a big advocate for protecting and enhancing our dairy assets for future generations, and being nominated for an
award like this signals to me that the work I’m doing is on the right track.”
Chan-Dorman has had a wide range of rural professional roles across policy, research and development and sustainable
farming.
“I’m really excited about the future of the dairy industry in New Zealand and progressing further into a leadership role
that will allow me to make further contributions to the industry.”
Germann is a relative new-comer to the dairy industry, milking her first cow just seven years ago. She and her husband
own a 570 cow dairy farm in equity partnership in Aparima, Southland, and she has just been offered a partnership role
at Agribusiness Consultants. She also volunteers her time as a mentor for DairyNZ Dairy Connect and PrimaryITO.
She says she’s surprised to be nominated for the award, “but incredibly humbled at the same time – I’m constantly
impressed with the opportunities and passion that is so widespread within the dairy industry.”
This year’s Dairy Woman of the Year will receive a scholarship prize of up to $20,000 to undertake a
professional/business development programme.
Past Dairy Woman of the Year winners are Landcorp business manager Rebecca Keoghan (2016), Westland Milk Products board
member Katie Milne (2015), Agri-Women’s Development Trust chair Charmaine O’Shea (2014), Milk New Zealand agribusiness
chief executive Justine Kidd (2013) and Taranaki-King Country National MP Barbara Kuriger (2012).
-ENDS-
2017 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year finalists
Claire Nicholson, a qualified veterinarian, established Sirona Animal Health in 2012 to develop and promote unique products for the
animal health market. Sirona has recently launched its first product, Alpheus, a controlled release capsule for the
prevention of parasites in cattle. She is a director of the Paraninihi Ki Waitotara (PKW) and is a past associate
director for AgResearch. She has qualifications in veterinary science and business from Massey University.
Jessie Chan-Dorman owns a dairy business with her husband leasing 420ha near Rakaia, milking 950 cows. She is on Fonterra’s Shareholders
Council, Federated Farmers National Dairy Executive, is a Director of the Ashburton Trading Society and a member of New
Zealand Asian Leaders. She has a first class honours degree in animal science and has worked in various roles across
policy, research and development and sustainable farming. She has completed the Fonterra Governance Development
Programme and received the Canterbury Institute of Directors Aspiring Director Award in 2014.
Jolene Germann, a relative newcomer to the industry who milked her first cow only seven years ago, is a Dairy Consultant for
Agribusiness Consultants and has recently been asked to become a partner with the business. She has a PhD from the
University of Waikato, which she did in conjunction with AgResearch Ruakura investigating the biochemistry of the clover
root weevil. Jolene and her husband own a 200ha, 570 cow dairy farm in equity partnership in Aparima, Southland. She
volunteers regularly, including as a PrimaryITO mentor and DairyNZ Dairy Connect mentor farmer, and has held a variety
of leadership positions with New Zealand Young Farmers. She is currently Chair of Southland’s Rural Business Network and
recently completed the Kellogg’s Rural Leadership Programme.
About Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year
The Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year award has been sponsored by Fonterra since its inception six years ago and
recognises the passion, drive and leadership of women in the dairy industry. The winner will be decided by a panel of
judges which include representatives from Dairy Women’s Network, Fonterra, Global Women, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and a
previous winner. The winner will be announced at an awards evening on 11 May, during the Dairy Women’s Network
conference in Queenstown, 11-12 May.