Friday, March 29, 2024

New man at the helm

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The new person at the helm of the Dairy Industry Awards has never milked a cow but has business skills that will serve him well in the role. Jenny Ling reports.
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A solid understanding of rural life combined with a high-flying international career in marketing and events has secured Robin Congdon his latest role as Dairy Industry Awards general manager.

Congdon has some big shoes to fill as he took over from long-serving leader Chris Keeping, who had 18 years in the role.

The Palmerston North resident says he has enjoyed his first five months in the position and believes his background in business, event programmes and communication and information technology will let him see new opportunities and efficiencies.

“I’m excited to be part of what many consider to be the most prestigious dairy industry programme, a unique opportunity to engage with this generation and the next generation of dairy farmers. It’s an opportunity to create change and also something positive for those involved,” Congdon says.

“The New Zealand DIA programme has been built from virtually nothing to a substantial national awards programme over the last 18 years. It is important the NZDIA stays relevant and delivers value to the entrants, sponsors and the trust. I am also proud to be part of NZ’s primary industry, dairy.”

Born and raised in Britain, Congdon grew up in rural Gloucestershire, a pretty village in the English countryside where its cattle are famous for producing milk for both single and double Gloucester cheeses.

He attended school in Gloucestershire and Switzerland but didn’t have any aspirations for a specific industry. He has always thought of himself as a businessman and has always gone down that route.

Congdon didn’t attend university, opting to go straight into the workforce instead. 

He had many friends at Cirencester Royal Agricultural College, an internationally renowned agricultural institution established in 1845, which is known as the Oxford of the agricultural world.

Growing up in a rural community rather than a city gives him an understanding of rural life that will serve his new position well, he says.

He has in-depth business management experience and extensive knowledge of managing high-profile awards and events.

His first job was at an audio visual business and over time he bought shares and developed that company and eventually became managing director.

His London-based business Conference Works and Edric Audio Visual, which had offices around the country, saw him work with clients like Lloyds TSB bank, British Steel and Hoover.

The family moved to NZ for a better quality of life.

He and his Kiwi wife Michelle Murdoch, known as Mitch, lived in London with their three children, Fergus, 16, Lottie, 15, and Max, 11, and thought they could give them a better upbringing in NZ.

“The kids take up a lot of my spare time and we like to go to Coromandel once a year for a holiday.

“We enjoy skiing, jet skiing and wake-boarding at Foxton Beach and I also coach junior rugby.”

When he moved here 10 years ago he freelanced for six years while running a property development company.

That involved creating a subdivision at Foxton Beach, a small settlement in the Horowhenua District of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, along with building spec homes to sell there and in Palmerston North.

He was also on the board of the region’s economic development agency, Vision Manawatu, now the Central Economic Development Agency, for five years.

Congdon has worked with local businesses such as Stewarts Electrical Supplies and electrical distributor Globelink providing specialist marketing support developing their websites and CRM systems.

“Because my career has been across multiple industries rather than one sector I’m quite used to understanding industry strategy, taking that on board and able to help drive those strategies to completion,” he says. 

One of his most recent roles was as the national events sponsorship manager for Massey University.

A big part of this job was managing the NZ Food Awards programme, which has celebrated innovation and excellence in food and beverage for over 30 years. 

Congdon says there are significant parallels between the food and dairy awards.

“The food awards are all about innovation and seeking out great NZ products and helping connect them with the various bodies around NZ such as the food innovation network. It’s about driving food technology and innovation in the industry and I feel that there’s a similar opportunity here.”

The Dairy Industry Awards attract farmers from across the country, working in all levels of the dairy industry and providing a learning and growth platform for young and emerging farmers as they progress in their careers.

With three main categories – Share Farmer, Dairy Manager and Dairy Trainee – they also provide a chance for entrants to connect with each other along with regional teams, sponsors and partners, engaging directly with about 7000 people each year.

Next year’s programme is well under way, with entries opening last month and closing on November 16. 

Congdon says the DIA adds enormous value to the dairy farming industry, driving education, qualifications and best practice and influencing change in dairy farming. 

“There is a lot of change in dairy farming and we are able to help the industry focus on best practice to drive the change required, focus on the environment, water quality and protect the environment for future generations,” he says. 

“We are building and educating a good understanding of sustainable farming systems fit for the future.”

He says the dairy industry can stay relevant by focusing on what’s important for dairying in future.

This year the awards and industry partners Primary ITO and DairyNZ will offer Share Farmer entrants the chance to have the work they prepare for the awards also serve as evidence for recognition of prior learning. That could lead to partial completion of an agribusiness management diploma.

Congdon says that will provide participants another way to receive recognition and learning and promote agribusiness skills training to the industry.

“We’ve been aligning assessments to make sure we assess the same criteria as the diploma. There’s a dual opportunity now for our share farmers to take part in our programme and benefit from it.”

Outgoing chairwoman Rachel Baker says the last awards event was a fitting showcase to farewell Keeping after such a long and dedicated tenure with the organisation.

“It was a special touch having every executive chairman she had worked with present on the night as well as numerous previous winners and volunteers to acknowledge her care and contribution over the past 18 years and to wish her the very best for her next chapter,” Baker says.

“We look forward to seeing where Robin will take the role and our organisation into the future.”

Congdon says Keeping did a fantastic job and  left the awards in a great place with fantastic support from sponsors Westpac, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian Energy and Ravensdown and industry partners DairyNZ and Primary ITO.

“I believe we can take it to the next level and we can keep growing the programme itself,” he says. 

“We are educating, providing qualifications and best practice for the industry.

“It’s important to remain relevant to the industry and what that looks like we develop each year. 

“I think that sustainability and environment issues and on-farm animal care are considered as to how they become part of the awards programme. We will continue to develop qualifications within the industry like the recognition of prior learning programme.

More than 80 people including regional managers, team leaders, executive members and sponsors attended the group’s annual conference in Rotorua in September. 

All are passionate and dedicated to the dairy industry, he says. 

“We had more than 60 people in the room directly involved in dairy farming at various stages of their careers – trainees, managers and share farmers – all who have been through the DIA programme and are committed to the industry.  

“Some may have different goals and career aspirations from the dairy farmers of yesteryear but there are still great career prospects and farm ownership opportunities if that is their business plan.”

The awards are not just about taking part for one year because the benefits of entering and getting involved can be ongoing. 

DIA executive chairman Michael Woodward is a great example of a successful journey starting as an entrant taking part for a few years before becoming a national winner.  

Woodward went on to become a regional manager, joined the executive team and is now the executive chairman. 

He and wife Suzie who sharemilked 1000 cows for TheLand Farm Group-Purata Farms in Canterbury have progressed to farm ownership this year with the purchase of a 170-hectare property milking 340 cows on a once-a-day system in Waikato.

Congdon admits there are big challenges for the dairy industry. 

“As bit of an outsider, ie not a dairy farmer, I wondered what the future looked like for a career in dairy farming but having now spent five months in the role I think the future is still very bright for farmers. 

“It’s not without challenges and there’s a lot of change needed but in reality the dairy farmers are adaptable. 

“I think of it like the Maori kaitiakitanga concept about caring for the land. Dairy farmers want to pass on the land in good stead and they want to be able to keep their businesses going. This really sums up what the modern dairy farmer is trying to achieve.”

MORE:

Visit dairyindustryawards.co.nz to enter the 2020 awards and find out more information

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