It was a lot of hard work, but there was a lot of fun along the way, she says.
“If you didn’t have fun, you wouldn’t do it and I think that’s been a part of it, enjoying what we do because the people we work with and work for, we make it fun,” she said.
Gower also remembers the people she met, including the Queen of Malaysia, prime ministers, the governor-general, Camilla Parker-Bowles and lots of other amazing people.
“And every time you have these experiences you learn something,” she said.
“A leader doesn’t have to be the best at everything but should bring out the best in their team, and hopefully that’s what I have done.”
In doing so, she’s watched and supported other women at RWNZ grow and that has given her a huge amount of satisfaction.
RWNZ now has a new board with Gill Naylor elected as new president.
Gower has also finished up in her role on the board of the New Zealand Landcare Trust, having been president since 2018 and a trustee since 2016.
She remains the Waikato Conservation Board’s deputy chair, is a scout leader at Waikaretu, south of her home in Port Waikato, and is a lifeguard and instructor at Port Waikato surf lifesaving club.
In the meantime, Gower says she is looking forward to taking a break and spending more time with her two teenage children Anthony, 14, and Emily, 16, and partner Terry on a drystock farm near Port Waikato, where he is employed as a fencer.
Emily is already following in her footsteps, having joined RWNZ and accompanied her mother on events, making her the fourth generation of the family to be involved with RWNZ.
Gower says Terry has been hugely supportive during her time as president.
“He doesn’t always understand what I do or why I do it, but he’s happy for me to do it because he sees the value in it.”
Her family has a long history of involvement with RWNZ, dating back to her mother and grandmother being members when it was known as the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers. It was changed to Rural Women New Zealand in 1999.
Gower rejoined RWNZ soon after having her two children, when she lived near Piopio in King Country.
“I rejoined as something to meet people and to get to use my brain a little bit more,” she said.
“They saw something in me that they liked and have been really good in supporting me and helping me grow in the organisation.”
Gower says she always wanted to get more involved in RWNZ, having been inspired by members when they visited her mother when she was young.
“I had no plans for where it was going to take me and it wasn’t until I started doing leadership training I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s see where this can take me’.”
That training included a Kellogg Leadership Course and an Escalator programme.
Gower set goals, wanting to be a RWNZ national executive in three to five years.
Then a vacancy arose on the board nine months later, which she succeeded in getting.
“My 10-year goal to become president came after three years. Be careful what you wish for, is what I tell people when they’re goal setting,” she said jokingly.
She says the organisation and the perception of rural women has changed immensely during her time on the board.
“We’re more than just the tea and scones brigade,” she said.
“We want to be seen as more than being just a bunch of middle-aged farmers’ wives. We’re leaders, we’re decision-makers, we’re involved in policy, we’re a respected voice.”
RWNZ’s membership extended beyond the farm gate. It included women in cities working in agribusiness roles or are ex-rural and want to be involved.
Changing that perception and the demographics of its membership was something RWNZ had worked hard on.
Rural women are also being taken more seriously because of the role they had in making financial decisions in farm businesses and in communities. In the past, that had not been recognised and it was frustrating.
Gower says there was still further work to be done to change that perception.
She has heard stories from members who are making major spending decisions at events such as field days and not taken seriously by businesses.
“They go to buy calf meal or a tractor and the salespeople laugh at them. These women have got money and if you don’t treat them well, they’ll walk away and buy it somewhere else,” she said.
RWNZ has also become a much more influential voice in the corridors of Wellington in the past few years.
“We’re getting asked for our opinions and people are coming to us and valuing what we have to say because we bring a very balanced side,” she said.
“We’re looking at things from a community point of view rather than a farming point of view. It’s a different picture when you realise how many people live rurally and are not actively farming.”
Gower also travelled to the United Nations as part of a NZ contingent to speak at a gathering on equal opportunities for women and human rights.
While she was proud of where NZ ranked alongside other countries in regard to these issues, she realises the country still had a long way to go.
Gower was also equally proud of the relationships and partnerships she has managed to build over her two terms, as well as how the profile of the RWNZ Business Awards has grown.
One of her swansongs in 2020 was the Mighty Morning Tea Shout event in July, which RWNZ initiated to thank essential workers during the covid lockdown.
“It was such a great event around the country. The kindness shown by our members is incredible,” she said.
Gower says the emphasis on kindness was etched into RWNZ’s creed.
“Our members are incredibly kind and it’s all about the giveback and supporting others,” she said.
“I’m so proud of what we do when I see what we do during adverse events and people needing support. The kindness that is shown by our members is incredible.
“I’m really proud of being part of the organisation. It’s been a privilege to be their face for four years.”
