The prestigious Young Manager of the Year Award has been an important and integral part of the annual MM Meat Industry Awards for many years and there have been many outstanding winners and finalists.
With this year’s Awards ceremony fast approaching on 19th September we reveal more about the 2024 finalists below.
As with all other categories, the finalists will not know who has won until the announcements are made on the night. To be part of this important industry occasion which offers great networking and a most enjoyable dinner click here for ticket and table details.
To see the film from 2023 click here.
The 2024 finalists…
Jonathan Hendry - Assistant Site Operations Manager
Dunbia, Carnaby
Jonathan is an outstanding example of the progression that can be made by graduates through the Dunbia Brighter Futures Graduate programme. His rapid rise through the company is testament to his hardworking nature.
Jonathan’s leadership skills and approach to managing his team has helped him to drive through a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration across functions and responsibilities.
He recently became the Assistant Site Operations Manager at Carnaby and demonstrates the key skills and characteristics required to succeed.
Gemma Furzeland - Customer Experience and Logistics Manager
Farmison & Co Ltd
Gemma stepped up following the closure of the original Farmison business upon its reopening and has really grown in her role, making excellent progress and developing her management skills, becoming a real asset to the company.
Gemma has taken ownership of her department, leading the team by example through personal excellence, drive and commitment.
She often identifies better and more effective ways of working and resourcing, despite sometimes difficult and demanding situations.
Sarah Mahon - Site Operations Manager
Dunbia, West Devon Site
Sarah joined Dunbia as a Quality Assurance Technician at the Dungannon site and after a short time was offered a promotion into a supervisory role. Sarah’s ambitions were bigger than this and instead of accepting the promotion she joined the Dunbia Brighter Futures Graduate Programme, moving from Northern Ireland to the West Country.
Placed at Dunbia’s beef abattoir in West Devon; Sarah’s resolve saw her progress quickly through the programme. Subsequently she has progressed still further through various roles until being offered and accepting the Site Operations Manager position. She is now eight months into the job and has once again risen brilliantly to the task.
Austin Howell - Butchery Operations Manager
Priory Farm Estate
Austin started his butchery career aged 16 as a weekend assistant, he quickly found a passion for Butchery and left his college course in mechanics to enrol as an apprentice at Plumpton College. Austin went on to excel at Plumpton, completing level 2 Butchery & level 3 Butchery Management. During this time he thrived, winning awards for Student Apprentice of the Year, Best Meat Apprentice Showing Real Management Potential, Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year, and Best Retail Butchery Apprentice.
He has been managing the new Butchery department at Priory Farm Shop since 2021 and has continued to grow his passion and knowledge driving the Farm’s ethos for high-quality locally sourced sustainable meat and great customer service.
Publisher of Meat Management magazine Graham Yandell MBE commented: “We have another line up of very talented young managers this year and it’s great to recognise them via this special and unique award.
“The annual MM Meat Industry Awards is the industry’s biggest annual event and we at Meat Management are really looking forward to another outstanding and enjoyable occasion.”
The 2024 Meat Management Meat Industry Awards and black-tie dinner takes place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole (near the NEC) on Thursday evening 19th September, hosted by ex-England Rugby star and TV broadcaster Martin Bayfield.
For details click here.
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