Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year finalist Jolene Germann (nee Brown) grew up in Te Mata, was educated in Hamilton and with her Te Awamutu born husband Hadleigh is equity farming in Southland.Three of New Zealand's emerging dairy industry leaders are finalists in the sixth annual Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Claire Nicholson from Bay of Plenty, Jessie Chan-Dorman from Canterbury and Jolene Germann from Southland will vie for the title, announced at an awards evening during the annual Dairy Women's Network conference, this year held in Queenstown, May 11-12.
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.
Claire Nicholson (Ngati 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.
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 involved with Dairy Woman of the Year since it began.
"As an organisation we're 100 per cent 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."
* Jolene Germann is a relative newcomer to the industry who milked her first cow only seven years ago. But farming is in her blood - she is the eldest of five children to Johnny and Sue Brown - third generation dry stock farmers from Te Mata, and married to Te Awamutu-born Hadleigh Germann, whose parents Bryce and Kerrin dairy farm at Puahue.
Mrs Germann attended Raglan Area School and completed her secondary schooling at Sacred Heart, Hamilton before heading to Waikato University earning a PhD in conjunction with AgResearch Ruakura, investigating the biochemistry of the clover root weevil.
Her mum says she was always studious and hard working, but also involved in her community even when she was studying and working, coaching a junior rugby team and helping out as a judge for calf club.
She the pair have a real drive to do well and be successful.
They made the move to the South Island several years ago and have worked their way into a 200ha, 570 cow dairy farm in equity partnership in Aparima, Southland.
Mrs Germann works as a Dairy Consultant for Agribusiness Consultants, and has recently become a partner.
She still volunteers, including as a PrimaryITO mentor and DairyNZ Dairy Connect mentor farmer, and has held a variety of leadership positions with New Zealand Young Farmers. Mrs Germann is chair of Southland's Rural Business Network and recently completed the Kellogg's Rural Leadership Programme.
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."
Claire Nicholson
* 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. 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."
Jessie Chan-Dorman
* 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. Mrs Chan-Dorman 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.
"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."
* The Dairy Woman of the Year was established in 2012 with inaugural winner Barbara Kuriger, who became national MP for Taranaki-King Country.
