The Team

When you consider the backgrounds of the NZX Rural team, it's not surprising that they understand farmers and know what it takes to publish award-winning magazines. Here's a closer look at the people who make it all happen.

NZX Rural's managing directors, Tony Leggett and Dean Williamson, together share over 30 years experience in rural publishing.

Tony Leggett Editorial Director
	Tony is Editorial Director with particular responsibility for content in all the company’s titles. Tony has a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture), and worked as a stock agent before moving into journalism. He edited Melbourne-based Stock & Land newspaper and The New Zealand Farmer before buying Country-Wide Publication in late 1997. He lives with wife Pip on a 6ha lifestyle farm close to Feilding. E-mail: tony.leggett@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0730
Dean Williamson Sales Director
	Dean goes to work so he can play. Diving, hunting, yachting and farming all feature fairly highly on his list of preferred activities. He lives on a 45ha block north of Feilding with Cushla and their two boys, Jack and Charlie. Their farm used to winter close to 500 ewes, but they have planted nearly 20,000 trees over the last 10 years, "to get the sheep numbers down"! Dean might be officially in middle age, but he won't admit it. He still does his own shearing, runs up the stairs at work and can beat his sons to the back fence, mind you, they are only 9 and 10. Dean is the Sales Director. E-mail: dean.williamson@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0763
Terry Brosnahan Country-Wide Editor
	Terry is the Editor of Country-Wide Southern & Northern. He's a graduate of Lincoln College and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) degree, was farming in the 1980s and has more than 20 years experience in agricultural journalism. Terry is based in Dunedin where he lives with his wife Eleanor, and daughters Sylvie and Marnie E-mail: terry.brosnahan@nzx.com Direct dial: 03 471 5272
Tim Fulton The New Zealand Farmers Weekly Editor
	Tim has been editor of The New Zealand Farmers Weekly since mid 2004 and lives on a two acre block at West Eyreton, about 45km north-west of Christchurch. The land, which was once a machinery yard, is gradually being turned into a miniature farmyard for Tim, his wife Fiona and young son Alex. It would be a stretch to call it a lifestyle block though. Tim grew up on a sheep and crop farm a few kilometers away that has now been converted to dairy. Like many of the Farmers Weekly reporting team, he keeps in touch with Feilding HQ to put out the paper thanks mostly to broadband and frequent phone calls. E-mail: tim.fulton@nzx.com Direct dial: 03 312 5719
Glenys Christian The NZ Dairy Exporter Editor
	Glenys Christian, editor of the Dairy Exporter for the last five years, comes from Nelson. After attending Canterbury University and completing the post grad Diploma of Journalism she worked in Hawkes Bay then overseas for three years. After a seven year stint at Straight Furrow, then based in Wellington, she moved to Auckland to become the agricultural editor of the New Zealand Herald, a position she held for the next 11 years and where she was awarded the Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year title in 1998. She freelanced for three years before becoming editor of Growing Today, which has since been merged with Lifestyle Block. Her hobbies include fishing, tramping and kayaking. E-mail: glenys.christian@nzx.com Direct dial: 09 375 6006
Terry Tacon The New Zealand Farmers Weekly Sub Editor
	Terry Tacon is the in-house journalist /sub editor for Farmers Weekly, which means that he splits his week between writing articles for the newspaper, and preparing it for publication. He has a strong background in agricultural journalism, including six years working in Taranaki, which have given him something of a reputation as a dairying specialist. His philosphy is: "There is a story behind every farm gate - all you've got to do is open the gate and go in to get it. But make sure you close the gate behind you!". Golf is his passion. E-mail: terry.tacon@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0731
Ray Watchman The New Zealand Farmers Weekly Casual Sub Editor
	Ray joined NZX Agri in January 2007 after a lifetime career in radio and print journalism. Ray resides in Palmerston North with his wife and youngest son Hamish. In his spare time, Ray sings in a local choir and enjoys the hobby of astronomy and sport of archery with his son. E-mail: ray.watchman@nzx.com
Sandra Taylor Journalist
	E-mail: sandra.taylor@nzx.com Phone: 03 384 7933
Jackie Bedford The Deer Farmer & Deer Farming Annual Editor
	Jackie Bedford grew up on a South Waikato farm, studied at Lincoln and now writes farming and business stories for various publications and has edited The Deer Farmer and Deer Farming Annual since October 2005. She is married with two children and lives in Wellington. E-mail: deereditor@nzx.com Phone: 04 477 4494
Andrew Stewart Young Country Editor
	Andrew is the Young Country editor and comes from a farming background, with himself and wife Kylie still living on the family farm that has been in the Stewart family for over 100 years. They have also recently ventured into the tourism industry with the establishment of www.rangitikeifarmstay.co.nz. Andrew has travelled extensively overseas and interests range from aviation to multi sport, with a strong emphasis on the great outdoors. E-mail: andrew.stewart@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0733
Jackie Harrigan Journalist
	Jackie started at NZX Agri in October 2008. She has spent most of her life as a free-lance writer and also worked in the beef industry. Jackie has a degree in Agricultural Science and is completing the National Diploma of Journalism whilst working as an in-house journalist. Jackie lives in Feilding with husband Gerard and children Lauren, Rory, Lachlan and Scotty. E-mail: jackie.harrigan@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0734
Dave McCombs The NZ Dairy Exporter Sub Editor
	Dave has been a journalist for 45 years and his experience includes news editor at London Broadcasting on Fleet Street, editor at AAP-Reuter in Sydney, as well as holding positions at The Press, Christchurch, and the New Zealand Herald. He was an original Radio Hauraki 'pirate', and a founder of NZ's first FM radio station in Auckland. He has been a member of the NZ Public Relations Institute, specialising in marketing, for Coca-Cola NZ and the launch of the Georgie Pie brand, and holds a Diploma of Subediting, which included studies in language, editing, layout and illustrations. Dave has lived in beautiful Auckland for 30 years. Activities include surfing, diving and fishing, photography and art. E-mail: dave.mccombs@nzx.com Direct dial: 09 375 6007
Rebecca Harper NZX Content & Information Analyst - Dairy Week
	Rebecca recently moved to Feilding to join the team at NZX Agri after spending most of last year working as a ringer on a cattle station in Western Australia, where she learned how to fence, drive a tractor and shoe a horse. She grew up on the family sheep and beef farm in Hawke's Bay and studied history and journalism at Canterbury University. Her first job was as the agricultural reporter at Hawke's Bay Today, before making the move to the Waikato Times in Hamilton. In her spare time she enjoys jumping stuff on her horse, learning to scuba dive and riding the odd bull at the rodeo. E-mail:rebecca.harper@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 1513
Lana Kieselbach Production Manager
	Managing the production department in our Feilding office is Lana, responsible for advertising design and editorial layout. Lana has 20 years experience in the newspaper industry and lives in Feilding with her husband Grant and their two daughters. E-mail: lana.keiselbach@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0735
Stephanie Holloway Mac Operator
	Steph joined the team in March 2004 after completion of her Bachelor of Arts, with majors in economics and psychology. Starting as front desk receptionist, she progressed through to production planner and after returning from maternity leave swapped her role to be mac operator. She grew up on her parents' sheep and beef property in Hunterville and now runs this with her partner Hamish. Steph and Hamish had their first son Lachie in November 2008. E-mail: steph.holloway@nzx.com
Elizabeth Pither Production Planner
	After completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in media studies, Liz worked on the Gold Coast, Australia, for a few months before giving up the sunshine to return to her hometown, Palmerston North. She joined the production team at NZX Agri in June 2006 as production assistant. Liz has now stepped up to the role of production planner. She is also currently studying postgraduate marketing through Massey University. E-mail: liz.pither@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0736
Catherine Kitchen Production Assistant
	Catherine joined the team in October 2008 as production assistant. She casually worked on Woodland Station at Raupunga in the Hawkes Bay with her partner prior to NZX Agri. The main component of her job is to deal with clients needs regarding their advertising copy. Catherine may have swapped the motorbike for an office chair, but she still lives well in amongst the hills north of Feilding at Waituna West. E-mail: catherine.kitchen@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0738
Emily Rees Mac Operator
	Emily started working for NZX Agri in September 2008. She previously worked for the Hawkes Bay Today Newspaper and came back to her hometown of Marton when she joined our team. Emily is one of the Mac Operators in the production department which involves preparing all material for print. Emily designs many of our house ads and is a great asset to the production team. E-mail: emily.rees@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0737
John Watson Livestock Account Manager
	John joined us in July 2009 as the Livestock Account Manager. He lives in Feilding and has three teenage sons with wife Jenny. John has extensive knowledge of the agribusiness sector having spent the last 25 years buying stock or wool in the central and lower North Island. His interests include fishing, cray and scallop diving, watching sport, reading and cryptic crossword puzzles. E-mail: john.watson@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0761
David Paterson South Island Account Manager
	David is the NZX Agri Account Manager for the South Island. He currently lives in Southshore, Christchurch with his partner Barbara. E-mail: david.paterson@nzx.com Direct dial: 03 382 6143
Damian Buckley Auckland Account Manager
	Damian is the Auckland Agent for NZX Agri. He lives in Warkworth with partner Lucy and their two children. They own a campervan hire business www.eurocampers.co.nz which they run from their 35 acre lifestyle block. Damian has completed a BA (Hons) Business Enterprise from the University of Wolverhampton, England, and a BYEC HND (Credit) Agricultural Marketing and Administration. Damian hails originally from Leicestershire, and his wife Lucy is a kiwi. E-mail: damian.buckley@nzx.com Direct dial: 09 425 0387
Shirley Howard Real Estate Account Manager
	Shirley started working for NZX Agri in August 2006 as Real Estate Account Manager. A "born and bred" Taihape girl, Shirley shifted to the bright lights of Feilding in 2004 and worked at Williams and Kettle as a Client Services Officer for the Rural Real Estate team for 2 years before moving to NZX Agri. Having a history in the media industry as an advertising account manager and then selling real estate for 3 years, Shirley has the knowledge and experience to answer all your real estate advertising enquiries. Shirley happily calls herself a "townie". E-mail: shirley.howard@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0760
Sarah Remnant Classifieds & Employment Account Manager
	Sarah joined the advertising sales team in November 2005. Prior to joining the team she graduated from Massey Uninversity with a BA and also worked at Massey. She is currently the classifieds and employment Account Manager so is the first port of call for all classified or employment advertising. Sarah is proudly born and raised in the Tararua district and currently resides there, commuting over to Global HQ in Feilding every day. E-mail: sarah.remnant@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0765
Jessica White Lower North Island Account Manager
	Jess joined the NZX Agri team in August 2009 as the Lower North Island Agent with a background in sales and business management, and is currently studying towards a BBS at Massey University extramurally. Jess lives locally here in Feilding with her husband Richie, who is a rural contractor based in Marton. In her spare time she is usually at the gym and in the warmer months of the year, enjoys as much time water skiing as possible! E-mail: jessica.white@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0739
Chelsea Millar Waikato/Bay of Plenty Account Manager
	Chelsea is a Massey University Graduate with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree majoring in Agribusiness. Originally from Wanganui she spent the last two years in Auckland, working in export. She has a passion for anything horse power - four legs or four wheels - and loves anything outdoors. Social occasions are definitely her favourite pastime! "The future is my goal. It should be achieved with a smile on your face and a sense of humour!" E-mail: chelsea.millar@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 1510
Nicola Lang (nee Taylor) Advertising Services & Systems Manager
	Nicola joined the NZX Agri sales team in July 2006. Nicola carries out administration and support duties for the sales reps. Nicola is currently studying the New Zealand Diploma in Business part time while living in Feilding with her husband Mike. E-mail: nicola.lang@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0764
Stephanie Hall (Stevie) Advertising Services
	Stevie joined the NZX Agri sales team in January 2009. She books all of the ads and is Nicola's right hand chick. Proud to be a Wairarapa girl, she previously worked on a dairy farm in Pahiatua before heading back to Masterton as the Marketing and Promotions coordinator for the Wairarapa Times-Age newspaper. Stevie is a bit of a netball nut, both indoor and outdoor, and also likes to keep fit with swimming and walking. E-mail: stevie.hall@nzx.com Direct dial: 06 323 0762
Corrie Cook The NZ Dairy Exporter Advertising Manager
	Corrie has been working in advertising and print media sales for most of her professional life, the last 15 years with NZ Dairy Exporter. She has always taken the view that magazines provide a great service to the public and as such, it is the responsibility of the advertising team to provide clients with the best possible opportunities to influence the reader. She enjoys developing creative solutions and works extensively with clients and providers to achieve these. E-mail: corrie.cook@nzx.com Direct dial: 09 833 3275