The annual PGG Wrightson Academy Awards marks the grand finale of the PGG Wrightson Academy development programme. Established in 2006, the programme’s purpose is to develop talent within the company, to provide fresh thinking to New Zealand agriculture’s opportunities and problems and develop new, innovative ideas that will meet the future needs of agriculture in New Zealand.

It is a forward-thinking programme, requiring participants to develop creative and critical thinking skills, using real-life client scenarios to test ideas and develop new strategies.

The Academy Awards, much like the prestigious Hollywood event of the same name, is a night to celebrate and recognize upcoming stars, who push the boundaries and strive to be future leaders within NZ agriculture. And of course, the Academy Awards isn’t complete without the chance to turn on the glamour, don the heels or rockstar boots and roll out the red carpet.

PGG Wrightson CEO, Stephen Guerin had the pleasure of presenting the awards this year.  He says, “A lot of people have gone on to bigger and brighter things both at PGG Wrightson and in the wider industry. As a responsible employer we know we have a role to grow our future leaders in the industry and we are really proud of their achievements.”

This year’s winners include:

Dux: Hine Mullany, Wool Trainee

Dux Proxime: Juliette Lewis, Store Manager

Futures Award: Bex Whitehead, Trainee Technical Field Representative

Spirit Award: Sophie Holst, Technical Field Representative

Excellence in Presentation Delivery Award: Bex Whitehead, Trainee Technical Field Representative

Growth Award: Ollie Wilson, Trainee Technical Field Representative

The Dux receives the Andrew Maw Memorial Award. As a founding member of the PGG Wrightson Technical Team, the Award honours the significant contribution that Andrew made to PGG Wrightson and this award continues to recognise his legacy.  

This year's Dux recipient, Hine Mullany received the prestigious award due to consistent quality of assessments throughout the year, and her continuous demonstration of PGG Wrightson’s company values.  On receiving the Award Hine says, “It was amazing to receive the Award. I had no idea I would win it, but I really wanted to – for my client, more than anything.”

The programme requires students to work closely with a client and submit a dissertation that positively impacts the client’s operations. Hine’s client, mother and son team Nicola and Ben Stokes, run Wyndale in Sheffield. As Hine explains, ”Nicola and Ben run a sheep and beef farm and all assignments during the year were based on the farm's operations. When I met them, I wanted to win the top award for them.”

Hine’s submission was based on improving the quality of Wyndale’s wool clip. Hine worked closely with Ben, who, like Hine has a lot of ideas and a future thinking approach. Hine says,” It was cool to bounce ideas off each other and discuss the industry going forward.”

On joining the Academy programme, she says, “My goal was to network with more people in the business and get to know the people who I will go through the industry and business with during my career”. By the end of the programme, she says, the whole group had become friends. “A lot of good friends came out of it. By the end of it you know peoples’ roles in the business, and this is a great benefit to both clients and the business because if people come in and need assistance from another part of the business, we can recommend those people, and they can recommend us. It helps keep all the business we can have with a client within the PGW family, and we know our client is being passed into safe hands.

Aside from building strong relationships with the participants, the programme has put each participant in touch with other experts in their chosen fields, strengthening ties within the company and the wider industry. Asking Hine what’s next, she replies, “I love being a part of the wool industry. It’s an amazing industry to work in and there are great opportunities to explore. I’m keen to help make some big changes in the future.”

The Academy Awards was attended by key suppliers Datamars and partner Primary ITO, PGG Wrightson Senior Management including Stephen Guerin, CEO and Academy Sponsor, Nick Berry – GM Retail & Water, Duncan Fletcher – Fruitfed Supplies National Manager, Graeme Lemin – Rural Supplies National Manager and Nigel Thorpe – National Livestock Procurement Manager who represented the PGG Wrightson Agency group.

Read more about the PGG Wrightson Academy here.