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BEL Group business manager Justine Kidd from Waipukurau was named the Dairy Woman of the Year this week at a gala dinner held by the Dairy Women's Network in Nelson.
With more than 20 years' experience, Kidd has influenced many aspects of the dairy industry after graduating with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (hons) in 1993.
She started in the industry as a consulting officer for the Dairy Board, worked for the Dairy Research Corporation as a farm production scientist and went on to establish herself as a trainer of leadership, people and performance, and business strategy programmes.
Kidd was also a founding director of Synlait where she led the initial development of strategic planning, team development and human resource structures.
In 2003 she joined Equestrian Sports NZ, and was soon promoted to the role of CEO. At the same time, in partnership with family members, she started Avance Ltd - a company designed to create a family farming asset by helping other farm businesses achieve their strategic goals. She left Equestrian Sports NZ in 2007 to focus on Avance.
In 2008 the BEL Group contracted Avance to run their Hawke's Bay-based dairy farm operations. The BEL Group employs more than 60 people milking 8600 cows across eight dairy farms totalling 2400ha, with another 960ha in dairy support.
Under Justine's leadership BEL Group has grown to reach its first milestone strategic goals and won the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand's 2011 HR Initiative of the Year award.
On being named the winner Justine said she was excited and very grateful to the Dairy Women's Network and Fonterra for the opportunities the award would create for her career. She also said she was humbled by the deep sense of responsibility that comes with the award to do something positive for the industry.
"I have aspirations to get involved in and contribute to agribusiness governance in New Zealand. I also believe there is immense value in supporting New Zealand's farming families and helping their businesses thrive. They make a massive contribution to communities all over the country as well as building the bridge between the rural and urban divide, and that is an area where I would like to contribute and make a difference."
See full story Dairy News next week.
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