WHAKATANE chartered accountant and farmer Donna Smit last week became the second woman to join the board of Ballance Agri-Nutrients.
Mrs Smit and returning director Sarah Von Dadelszen will fill two vacancies in the North Island.
Eight candidates contested the two vacancies created by the retirement of Oliver Saxton and the retirement by rotation of Ms Von Dadelszen.
Chairman David Peacocke congratulated both on their election.
“We look forward to gaining from Donna’s farming and commercial experience. [She had] secured very good support within our shareholder base, especially given the strong field of candidates.
“It’s particularly pleasing our board will be more representative of the diversity so common in farming partnerships.
“A diverse range of perspectives and ideas is key for our success, and gender representation is one indicator of how our diversity is tracking,” he said.
Mrs Smit and her husband Corrie run a successful family farming operation with properties in Whakatane and Oamaru producing 1.4 million kilograms of milk solids.
She has 23 years of commercial experience as a company administrator and has held governance positions in farming and community organisations including Primary ITO, Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, Dairy Women’s Network, Kiwifruit Equities and Eastern Bay Energy Trust.