CBH directors Jeff Seaby and Helen Woodhams confirm they will stand again

Two CBH directors have confirmed they will stand again at the upcoming board elections, but a third — Bruce Rock grain grower Kevin Fuchsbichler — is keeping mum. Mukinbudin farmer Jeff Seaby and Kojonup farmer Helen Woodhams have both confirmed they will put their hands up in the upcoming CBH elections as they end their three and two-year terms in districts two and four respectively. Mr Seaby was elected for a three-year term in February 2019, replacing Yelbeni’s Derek Clauson when he retired and edging out Northam’s Chris Antonio by 31 votes. Ms Woodhams was elected to the board in August last year, taking on a two-year term after winning a by-election held more than a year after her predecessor Trevor Badger was removed from the board. Both Ms Woodhams and Mr Seaby confirmed they would stand again this week. Board veteran Mr Fuchsbichler did not return calls about whether he would stand for the CBH board again, after winning five elections since joining the board in 2007. CBH has implemented this year two major changes to how the board election process is run. As incumbents, it will be mandatory for Ms Woodhams and Mr Seaby to take part in a candidate assessment panel designed to determine whether they meet certain criteria. Facing the panel — which includes CBH chair Simon Stead and high-profile corporates Terry Agnew and Suzanne Ardagh — would not lead to a board recommendation but a list on the CBH website of whether candidates had “desired skills and attributes”. All CBH candidates will also adhere to a strict electioneering code of conduct which highlights a “minimum standards” for those standing for a spot on the board. Under the code, candidates can present their skills, attributes and experience to members while ensuring their conduct was carried out in an “honest and fair way”, protecting the “commercial interests of CBH” and protecting the “standing and reputation of CBH’s officers, employees and members”. Ms Woodhams said she “absolutely” planned to stand again and supported the creation of the candidate assessment panel. “There is a high level of diversity of thought (on the board) but everyone is prepared to work with each other for the betterment of the co-operative,” she said. “It (the panel) will give a greater level of transparency for growers to have more information about who they are going to give their vote to. “It will just give people room to perhaps do some groundwork, and upskilling that they need to do for getting onto the board.” Mr Seaby echoed Ms Woodhams’ sentiment that the candidate assessment panel was a good move. “We have a very cohesive board with the diverse range of skills required for good board governance,” he said. “I believe for me to sit before the panel can only be a positive thing and will demonstrate that my skill set is a good fit within the current CBH board.” Ms Woodhams became the second female grower director in CBH history last year, two years after CBH’s first female grower director and now deputy chair Natalie Browning joined the board in 2018. Ms Woodhams secured 26.49 per cent — or 138 votes — of the primary vote and 50.2 per cent with preferences in a voter turnout of 521 of 900 eligible members. She edged out five males to take the role, including Lake Grace farmer Royce Taylor, who joined the board earlier this year in one of the two district four roles. Ms Woodhams and Mr Taylor now serve side-by-side on the board. The CBH board is composed of nine member directors and up to three independent directors, with the grower directors elected from five grower director districts. Two directors are elected by members from district one, two, three, and four, and one director is elected by members from district five. CBH spends about $1.4 million on directors’ fees and superannuation each year, with the board chairman taking home the most, at more than $200,000.