Demi Russell – A Decade Of Dedication

10 years ago, Demi Russell took a maternity relief role in the Honeycombes warehouse with little to no knowledge of the industry she was entering.

Now, she’s one of the most respected Parts Interpreters in Burdekin agriculture, expanding her experience and sharing it with newcomers to the business.

“I’ve lived here all my life, so I kind of knew about different agricultural concepts, but I hadn’t looked at a harvester or anything before I started here, so I was quite green,” she said.

The learning curve of the agriculture landscape and terminology can be a steep one, but Demi approached the challenge with determination and tenacity.

Her high work ethic was instilled in her by her mother, a stalwart in the agriculture and automotive industries for over 30 years who proved to her that hard work and dedication will get her far.

As a young woman in the industry, Demi said it was difficult to gain the respect and acknowledgement of the customers who would often gravitate towards her male counterparts.

“Once I proved that I could excel in the job, I built great rapport and a lot of respect came with that which still stands today,” Demi said.

“Starting out 10 years ago, I had no idea what a chopper drum or an elevator was or anything to do with a harvester.

“You’ve got to learn all that, so my personal growth from where I started to where I am now is a real point of pride.”

Alongside her mother, Demi considers a dear friend as a major influence on her career in agriculture, who trained Demi when she first joined Honeycombes a decade ago. Demi now imparts this knowledge to others in the business.

“I feel like one of the senior people in the department, so people come to me to ask questions and I train new people,” Demi said.

Demi says there can be dirt, there can be heavy lifting and there can be challenging customers and requests, but she always strives to do her best to satisfy the customer and urges other young women to consider a career in agriculture.

“The agriculture industry can be one of the most rewarding industries to be involved in,” she said.

“When you think about it on a global scale, it helps to keep the world ticking.”

Lisa MacDonald – Keeping The Industry Moving

The last thing a farmer needs at this time of year is a mechanical breakdown but it’s people like Lisa MacDonald, Honeycombes’ Senior Service Advisor, who keep the machines running and the customer happy.

Working closely with customers, Lisa handles service requests and bookings, resolves service issues while providing and maintaining service support to technicians.

She is passionate about the agriculture industry and motivated about keeping her customers satisfied.

“I sympathise with the stresses that the farmers have and what they can encounter during the crush,” Lisa said.

“It emphasises the importance of having their machines going so I try to incorporate those needs into my work.”

Lisa loves the challenges of her work and says she feels a sense of pride and satisfaction on a daily basis.

“When you help someone who’s really struggling or there’s a breakdown and you’re able to get a technician out there, you have that feeling that you’ve accomplished that for them and now they’re able to keep going,” she said.

“At the end of the day, there’s a new level of appreciation for helping the farmer out and going as far as you did to get them back on track.”

A hardworking and dedicated individual, Lisa completes her work with modesty and an utmost respect for her customers.

She’s proud to be a woman in the agriculture industry and admires the hardworking farmers out in the field.

“Everyone needs admin, but we’re not the ones out there in the heat, the elements and the conditions,” Lisa said.

“The true inspiration are those women contributing to the rural and ag industry out in the field, so celebrating them is very important because they keep this community going.”

Working within a cooperative and coordinated team, Lisa thrives surrounded by passionate people, urging anyone interested in agriculture to “go for it”.

Rosita Previtera – From Farm To Honeycombes

Rosita Previtera grew up in a cane farming family surrounded by agriculture in many forms.

She’d join her mum and dad checking the irrigation on the cane farm, spending much of her childhood weekends riding the four-wheeler and helping pick and pack mangoes and other small crops.

Her mother had a very active role on the property, which Rosita says was rare at the time, so it felt like a natural step when Rosita embarked on her own career in agriculture, joining Honeycombes in 1995 when she finished school.

Starting in administration, was the beginning of a long and illustrious career for Rosita, who has worked across many departments in the company before filling the role of Service Warranty Advisor across the group’s seven branches.

“In my role, I oversee warranty for the group, providing support to customers and staff utilising our dealer platforms, and our main goal is to have our customers receive the best service support possible and limit their downtimes,” Rosita said.

For someone who didn’t have a mechanical background, Rosita immersed herself in the industry from the beginning and, with the support of Honeycombes, has become a role model to younger staff.

“In my role, I need to know the terminologies involved in machinery, repairing machinery and where things go. Honeycombes have been really supportive and they provide a lot of training platforms to progress my knowledge and get to where I am today,” she said.

“In turn, I’ve then trained Service Advisors to fulfil their role in other branches.”

Being in the business for almost 30 years, Rosita appreciates working in a family environment alongside a team she’s known for most of her life.

She feels appreciated for her work in the business, standing up as a pillar of advice, knowledge and experience, and reflects on her role as a woman in the agriculture industry with pride.

“It’s important to recognise how far we’ve come and how integrated women are in the industry,” Rosita said.

“It’s not a male dominated environment anymore. It doesn’t matter what part of the industry, whether we’re out there on tractors, operating machinery, or in an office providing support, we all have an integral role.”

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