Rebecca Dawson became the symbol of the produce trade’s youth as she scooped the MorePeople Young Person of the Year gong at the Re:fresh awards on Thursday.
Dawson has been marketing director of Tozer Seeds since 2008, having spent five years as regional sales representative and then manager of Tozer’s Plant Solution division.
Rebecca is the daughter of Tozer Seeds managing director and owner Peter Dawson and it was perhaps inevitable that she would end up having some contact with the business as her career developed.
She has a BA (Hons) undergraduate degree in Equine Science and Business and has since achieved a diploma in management studies. Rebecca’s education will be complete this year, when she picks up a Masters in Business Studies from the University of Hertfordshire.
Plant Solutions was a fledgling company when Rebecca joined in 2003, and she used her creative flair and writing skills to capture the interest of professional growers with persuasive marketing literature and website copy, and eye-catching logos and exhibition display materials.
In the last 12 months, Rebecca has been the force behind a campaign to promote the release of Tozer’s brand new vegetable, Flower Sprout. The marketing push aimed at a wide variety of media and received coverage throughout the local and trade press, but also found a more extensive audience on radio and TV.
Rebecca’s influence since joining the Tozer board has been immediately evident. She championed and sourced a consultant to assist the board in significantly improving the company’s business operations and by changing the tempo at boar level, brought departments and individuals together to take the company forward.
This all in readiness for the retirement of Rebecca’s father from his managing director role at the end of 2010. Peter will continue as chairman, but the presence of Rebecca, the third generation in the business, keeps a day-to-day involvement for the family and therefore strengthens Tozer Seeds independent status with a long-term future in the vegetable seed market.
She told freshinfo: “I’m thrilled to have received the MorePeople Young Person of the Year Award, it’s difficult to recognize how or if you have excelled at work when you think you’re just doing your job! Its lovely to think my colleagues feel I have gone above and beyond, and that they nominated me for the award. Being the third generation working in a family business brings a great deal of responsibility and this award I hope will demonstrate to the industry that the future of Tozer Seeds Ltd is in safe hands. My desire is to maintain the independent status of the business, adding value wherever possible and remaining a key player in the vegetable industry.”
The judges said of her: “An outstanding talent, Rebecca has shown a remarkable aptitude for tackling the challenges of the vegetable industry.”
No comments yet