Waikato farmer and businesswoman Jenni Vernon has been elected as their first female president/board chair in the organisation’s 55-year history
 |
|
Jenni Vernon
|
Jenni has been a vice president for the past three years and has served on the board for 10 years. Her election was unopposed during the Annual General Meeting held on 21 March. As the president/chair, Jenni will govern the Society, which owns and operates Mystery Creek Event Centre, as well as Fieldays, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event.
Jenni farms a dry stock unit in partnership with her husband Gordon and son Simon, at Te Akatea, in northwest Waikato. Initially training as a teacher, Jenni has spent more than four decades in farming and governance. She was also the first female Nuffield Scholar and the first woman chair of Environment Waikato. Jenni’s first encounters with Fieldays date back in her NZ Young Farmers days helping with car parking.
“This organisation has a proud history of delivering world-class events, including Fieldays. In the past 55 years, many before me have worked hard to create what we now see before us. Given a large part of my career has been involved in Agriculture it seems natural for me to continue to contribute to the Society, supporting the growth in Agriculture through our purpose of advancing the primary sector through Innovation, Education and Globalisation,” she says.
Jenni takes over the reins from outgoing president James Allen, who following the constitutional rules of the Society has completed his third and final year as president.
“As a volunteer board member, James provided leadership during the incredibly uncertain times of COVID-19 and his tenure was met with a mixture of extreme challenges, but he navigated these while also running his own business. James can also celebrate many highlights and areas of growth in his time on the board and as Chair of the board.”
Jenni says she’s looking forward to working with the new board along with Peter Nation, CEO and his management team to continue to deliver on a strong strategic direction and plan for growth.
“We have a great team of staff, volunteers, and members who are devoted to the cause and outcomes that our organisation contributes to the New Zealand economy. With just over 80 days to us delivering Fieldays 2023, some new events coming to Mystery Creek and some exciting plans for the future, we have plenty of work to do.”
Jenni also sits on the board of the NZ Geographic Board, is a Justice of the Peace, and is an accredited Resource Management Act Hearings Commissioner.
Find new and used farm machinery for sale in NZ