Judges announced for RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award 2011

The great diversity of rural businesses will present a challenge for the judges in the upcoming RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award 2011, but it’s a challenge they will relish.

Tina Symmans, Telecom’s Director of Corporate Relations, and John Ayling, Chairman of Access Homehealth Limited, will join RWNZ National President Liz Evans in the task of selecting a North Island and South Island winner when entries for the award close on Friday 18 March.

“John and Tina will bring both business experience and an empathy with the rural sector to this important judging process,” says Mrs Evans.

John Ayling knows first hand the challenges of running a business from a rural location, being a rural-based consultant to a number of health care and disability service providers. He is also Chairman of the West Coast Primary Health Organisation.

Tina Symmans has an extensive background in sectors as varied as capital markets, transport, energy and agriculture and is currently a Director on the board of Turners and Growers; but her knowledge of the rural sector is more than academic. Hailing from Hawke’s Bay, in her spare time she loves nothing more than donning her waders and fishing for whitebait in the Tuki Tuki River.

The overall 2011 RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award supreme winner will be announced at the RWNZ National Conference 2011 to be held at Waipuna Hotel, Auckland from 20-23 May.

The 2011 RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award is sponsored by Access, Telecom and Rural Women New Zealand.