Changes at women’s dairy network

 After holding the chairwoman’s position for four years, Wilson’s new focus will be on increasing her governance knowledge to give back to the rural sector. She has just completed stage one of the Fonterra governance programme and hopes to be selected as a participant for stage two.

“I have been fortunate to have had a number of mentors, not only within Dairy Women’s Network, but also from the wider dairy industry. The increase in the governance skills I have learnt while being on the board has allowed me to have the capability to serve on a number of not-for-profit boards.”

Wilson noted in her annual meeting address the election of 2012 Dairy Woman of the Year Barbara Kuriger to Parliament and said she listened to her maiden speech with great pride.

Wilson also noted that DWN had contributed to the dairy industry strategy launch at Parliament in July 2013 alongside DairyNZ, Fed Farmers and DCANZ.  The network has since aspired to align its strategy with the industry strategy.  She said a diverse board with sound strategic skills was required to formulate that strategy and a competent management team with an excellent chief executive to deliver it.

In handing over to Kidd she said the network had evolved over the last couple of years and it is time for someone else to step up.

Wilson will retain her membership and watch with interest, as will board member Angela Fullerton, Te Awamutu, who also officially stepped down after 12 years on the board. 

Wilson and Fullerton originally joined the board of the Network for Women in Dairying, as DWN was then known, and cite giving other women opportunities in the governance roles the network offers as a main reason for stepping back.

Wilson has been a member since 2003; she took on the regional convenor coordinator role in 2004 and first appeared on the board in 2006, at which time the membership was 2100. Today it is more like 6000.

Wilson was acknowledged for how much she has achieved during that time, some of her highlights including becoming board chair in 2010, seeing the network’s regional groups grow from 12 to 30, and going from a volunteer convenor co-ordinator to having three part-time employees supporting the regional conveners throughout New Zealand.

“The membership growth has been an absolute highlight, as was being invited to represent Dairy Women’s Network and the New Zealand dairy industry at the APEC Women in Leadership forum in Beijing and managing to continue Dairy Women’s Network business as usual while in the executive chair role.”

She and husband Pete have downsized their farming operation since moving north from the South Island to Waihi, Bay of Plenty. Wilson is more hands-on onfarm which she says she is enjoying. Fullerton said in her address at the annual that it was after attending her first DWN conference in 1998 that she gave herself permission to get involved in the dairy farming business.