ADIC Board

The primary role of the Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC)’s Board is to provide strategic direction and input towards whole of industry policy development. Comprised of eight members – four directors from Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) and four directors from the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF) – the ADIC Board mutually represents the interests of dairy farmers and dairy processors, providing a unique whole of industry approach to policy and advocacy. The Board is also responsible for approving the ADIC Annual Investment Plan (AAIP) and the allocation of funds to support the development and delivery of the priorities listed in the plan.

Rick Gladigau

Chair

Rick Gladigau grew up on his family’s dairy farm and was employed there as a farmhand upon leaving school. Rick has broad experience, having worked on a potato farm and as a dairy share farmer, and trained in Canada as part of an agricultural exchange program before returning to manage his family’s dairy farm.

He was a ward representative for Australian Co-operative Foods and a member of the Dairy Farmers Milk Co-operative (DFMC) Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016. Rick was a Board Member of the South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association (SADA) from 2007 to 2021, serving as Treasurer for the last four years.

Rick is passionate about the dairy industry, which has helped him gain experience in industry leadership, governance, and negotiation.

John Williams

Deputy Chair

John has a Graduate Diploma in International Business at Monash University, Bachelor of Economics and Asian Studies at The Australian National University, and a Graduate Certificate of Australian Rural Leadership at James Cook University.

Most recently he was General Manager and Vice President Domestic Sales – Government and Industry Strategy at Saputo Dairy Australia from 2018 – 2022. Prior to that he spent almost two decades at Warrnambool Cheese and Butter (WCB) where his last two roles were Vice President and General Manager – Sales, Marketing and Innovation and General Manager – Sales, Marketing and Innovation. John was responsible for sales, marketing and distribution of WCB’s bulk dairy product, internationally and domestically. He also oversaw the company’s research and development program, as well as warehousing and logistics. Prior to this he held roles at Pacific Foods and Mitsui & Co Ltd.

John was a non-executive director of Australia’s dairy industry peak body, the Australian Dairy Industry Council from 2004 – 2022 and Vice President of the Australian Dairy Products Federation 2016 – 2022. He has also been a director of Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd., Dairy Ingredients Group Australia and the Australian Ingredients Centre.

Natalie Sarich-Dayton

Director

Natalie Sarich-Dayton is the Chief Executive Officer of Brownes Dairy a role to which she was appointed in June 2021, becoming the first woman to be appointed to this role in the 137-year history of the company. Before becoming CEO, Natalie was the Director of Sales and Marketing from 2017 having joined the company in 2013 as Marketing Director.

In 2019 and 2020 Natalie’s marketing leadership at Brownes Dairy was recognised with placings in the CM050 list of Australia’s most innovative and effective Chief Marketing Officers.

Natalie has more than 20 years of international experience in marketing, sales and management in multinational consumer goods companies. Prior to her time at Brownes, Natalie was a director of European portfolio development at Coca-Cola Enterprises where she was responsible for the development of energy, sports and functional beverages across Great Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. She also spent a number of years at Heinz, Danone and Unilever in brand marketing roles within the UK and Australia.

Brian Tessmann

Director

Brian Tessmann is a Queensland dairy farmer from the South Burnett area. Jointly running the family operation with his brother, the farm has been in the Tessmann family for four generations and milks 150 cows.

Brian has a long history with the Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation (QDO). Since being appointed as District Secretary in 1995, he was then elected to the QDO Board and State Council in 2000 and in 2003 became the Vice President.

Brian has been President of QDO since 2009, as well as a Director on the ADF Board and National Council. Over this period, Brian has also held various roles at both state and national levels.

Brian is passionate about the northern dairy industry and hopes to drive improved opportunities for farmers in the region. Brian is married to Dixie with two sons, Carl and Eric.

Heath Cook

Director

Heath was elected to the Australian Dairy Farmers Board of Directors in 2021 for his passion towards creating a profitable and sustainable dairy industry.

Heath entered the dairy industry 17 years ago following his career as Process Superintendent of then Australia’s largest goldmine. He purchased in the picturesque hills of Dorrigo and established Misery Mountain Dairy, which currently milks 350 cows. As an advocate for youth in dairy, he is proud to have recently adopted a share farming model with a young local family.

Throughout his career, Heath has sat on numerous boards and committees which has given him critical insight into good governance. He has strived to further his understanding and representation since entering the dairy industry.

Ben Bennett

Director

Ben Bennett has worked in dairy farming in south-west Victoria for 16 years and he has experience in low-cost, lucerne-based pasture and domestic seasonal calving.

Prior to his work in the dairy sector, Ben worked for 13 years in the meat processing industry. In this role he managed everything from procurement to processing and international marketing exposure and has experience with costings modeling. Ben began his career on the floor with roles that ranged from labouring to quality control and technical project management. He then moved to the line and gained experience in executive management and whole of business consulting.

He has a graduate diploma in agriculture and a degree in biotechnology and bioprocess engineering.

Hamish Reid

Director

Hamish Reid is Executive General Manager – Nutritionals and Ingredients at Bega Group. Prior to that Hamish held the role of Executive General Manager and Business Manager – Nutritionals between 2010 and 2020, contributing to the significant growth of the business over that period.

Previously Hamish worked in senior marketing and innovation roles with Fonterra in Asia, the Middle East and New Zealand. Hamish has a MSc from Canterbury University, a Diploma in Dairy Science and Technology from Massey University, has completed the Stanford Executive Program and has graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Hamish retired as Chair of the Infant Nutrition Council of Australia and New Zealand in December 2022.

Corrie Goodwin

Director

Corrie Goodwin is currently Head of Responsible Dairy at Fonterra Australia where she is leading the development of a sustainability strategy tailored to the diverse farming systems in southeast Australia. Her previous roles include Group General Manager, Dairy and Grains Supply Chain at Freedom Foods, Head of Quality at Murray Goulburn and General Manager of Operations at Dairy Food Safety Victoria.

Corrie has more than 20 years of experience driving transformational change and leading broader industry and regulatory reform and has a deep understanding of how to overcome challenges common to agribusiness and trading environments.

Corrie has experience in a range of non-executive directorships, industry committees and advisory roles. She is currently Executive Vice President of the Australian Dairy Products Federation and Acting Chair of the Victorian Game Management Authority. Corrie is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne

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