70 | Financial consultancy services for farmers NZAB offers an array of direct financial consultancy services to farmers, tailored to meet their special circumstances. Lana’s hard work and positivity for the agri sector has been recognised. Sue Russell There’s something about the scope of engagement and the potential to bring really positive outcomes to farming clients that attracted Lana Marshall to join the Southland NZAB team, based in Invercargill. Having worked in banking for over 12 years, Lana says she wanted to work more closely within the farming and agri-business sector and, being a farmer herself, only added more meaning and value to these engagements. NZAB offers an array of direct financial consultancy services to farmers, tailored to meet their special circumstances and stage in their business’s development. Lana’s role, like that of the rest of the team at NZAB is to sit down, listen carefully to each client, discern what is most important for them and deliver solutions to meet their needs, be it, bank refinancing, succession planning, budgeting, investment, or management/governance structures, to name a few. “The people who established NZAB about 9 years ago, saw a massive gap in the market working directly for farmers, where independent advice was needed, separate from that of the banking institutions. For me, the greatest reward is seeing my farming clients achieve their own goals,” says Lana. And bringing in the journey and perspectives of being part of a sharemilking team, along with her husband, means that Lana is absolutely able to empathise with her farming clients. She understands, when there are lots of decisions to be made, having steady, supportive advice to find the right answer, is crucial to the outcome. “In Southland, we’re very lucky to have such an supportive community where people are willing to help each other out. That certainly was evident when we started out farming. My role with NZAB is another support mechanism, and our priority is to see our clients feel supported and confident in their decisions, which is driven by a genuine commitment to helping our clients grow and succeed. Lana’s hard work and positivity for the agri sector has been recognised in the form of being named one of three NZ finalists in this year’s Zanda McDonald Award. This award, recognises young people working in the sector who display leadership, innovation and a commitment to advancing the ag sector. Similarly, three other finalists across the ditch have been named in Australia. “I’m so excited about this and never thought for a moment when I entered I’d be shortlisted to one RURAL SERVICES » NZAB of three here in New Zealand. I’m passionate about the sector and want to contribute in every way I can to enhance it, so its a real honour to be on the shortlist.” Having been told to ‘put her name in the hat’ meant sitting down to really examine what her values, goals and aspirations were, something Lana admits she hadn’t really fully invested in before. “It made me stop and really reflect on who I am and what I stand for. I realised that leading by example and taking action matters deeply to me, as does earning results through hard work. I’m big on continuous learning and growth, and I try to make a conscious effort to constantly challenge my own thinking..” Lana, along with the other two NZ finalists and three from Australia will discover who has been named as each country’s winner at the Impact Summit to be held in Christchurch in March, an event Lana is eagerly looking forward to attending. The winner of the Zanda McDonald award receives a cash prize to enable him or her to further their learning and experiences, visiting other agricultural businesses in Australia. And as if this isn’t enough Lana has also been selected to participate in the Fonterra Governance Development event, a year-long programme based in Auckland. “That was a rather vigorous application process as well. Through this opportunity I’ll be able to add more tools to my tool box, connect with other likeminded individuals and long term, play a meaningful role in supporting the future of the ag sector.”
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