Twelve seems to be a lucky number at Holstein Australia.
The group is saying goodbye to its outgoing director Patrick Glass, who is stepping down after 12 years.
Mr Glass comes from Kerrick Park Holsteins in Gundowring, Victoria, and is also a past president.
The dedicated Holstein enthusiast is being succeeded by fellow Victorian, Jaqueline Suares.
In an uncanny coincidence, the retirement of Mr Glass comes just one year after David Johnston retired following his own 12 years as a Holstein Australia director and president.
Mrs Suares is well known in the dairy industry through her work with DataGene and Dairy Livestock Services, and as deputy chair of WestVic Dairy.
In her downtime, Mrs Suares runs the Master Breeder herd Calderbrae Holsteins in Victoria's Western District with husband Ross.
At the same AGM meeting held in early October, the second director position was filled by South Australian Gino Pacitti, from the Fleurieu Peninsula's Misty Brae Holsteins.
Both have been elected for three-year terms.
The combined vision of the new directors is to position Holstein Australia to survive the external challenges facing the dairy industry.
Mrs Suares said past wisdom needed to be honoured while scientific advances in genetics and technology were embraced to ensure the Holstein breed continued to underpin the profitability and sustainability of dairy farms in Australia.
“If we do not adapt and embrace the opportunities and requirements of the contemporary Australian dairy farm, we run the risk of becoming obsolete,” she said.
Mr Pacitti thanked Holstein Australia members for their vote and said he would ensure the association was "well positioned to meet any challenges ahead".
At a board meeting following the AGM, vice-president Garry Carpenter of Garerley Holsteins on Tasmania's Gunns Plains was appointed federal president.
Jenny Grey of The Pines, Kiama, NSW, took up the vice-president position.
Mr Carpenter said both Mrs Suares and Mr Pacitti were long-term Holstein enthusiasts and advocates, and he said it was "particularly healthy" that four strong candidates stood for the two available board positions.