Honorary doctorate to long-time dairy leader

University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford says the honour is in recognition of Sir Dryden's substantial contribution to the regional and national economy.

"Sir Dryden is a remarkable man who has worked for and with many of New Zealand's most important organisations. He continues to work hard for his community and has proved himself a worthy recipient of the title of Honorary Doctor at the University of Waikato."

Sir Dryden was born in the Taranaki town of Waitara and bought his first farm at Walton, in the heart of the Waikato.
By then, he had already been elected as president of the New Zealand Sharemilkers Association and in 1972 he became president of Waikato Federated Farmers. The following year, at the age of 33, he was elected as a director of the New Zealand Dairy Group.

Also in 1973 Sir Dryden was chosen as New Zealand's Outstanding Young Man of the Year by New Zealand Jaycees. He served as chairman of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company and then the New Zealand Dairy Board for the better part of 20 years, leading major industry reform and building international relations.

He received the New Zealand Commemoration Medal in 1990, was made a member of the APEC Eminent Persons' Group in 1993 and in 1994 he was Knighted for services to the dairy industry.

Sir Dryden has also served as chairman of the ANZ National Bank from 2007 until last year and has been a director of companies including Nufarm, Maersk NZ Ltd, Affco, Fletcher Building, Sky City, National Bank, Port of Tauranga Ltd and Northport.

He has been chairman of Ericcson NZ and Tenon Ltd and deputy chairman of Goodman Fielder, Ports of Auckland and The Rural Banking and Finance Corporation of New Zealand.

In 2000 Sir Dryden was awarded a Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by Massey University and the Holden Lifetime Achievement Award for service to the Dairy Industry in 2003. He has also been made a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International.