The 2024 Bentley Nelstrop Medal for Enterprise and Innovation – Tricia Cullimore

9 Apr 2024
Tricia Cullimore receiving her award from NIAB CEO Mario Caccamo
With a career spanning an astonishing 53 years at NIAB Tricia Cullimore has been awarded the 2024 Bentley Nelstrop Medal for Enterprise and Innovation.

The annual in-house award, initiated by former NIAB Trustee Bentley Nelstrop, celebrates exceptional contribution to innovation and enterprise by an individual or a team from within NIAB.

Tricia’s contributions have been central to NIAB’s ability to remain an integral part of the statutory and Recommended List trials systems for sugar beet, maize, pulse, herbage and a whole host of minor crops whose popularity has ebbed and flowed over the past 50+ years.

NIAB CEO Mario Caccamo on congratulating Tricia on her award said: “What stood out in Tricia’s nomination was that her enterprise and innovation has allowed, at times, rapid development and implementation of effective systems in an everchanging statutory and levy-funded world.”

Tricia has also been central to archiving and studying NIAB’s history, with much of her research and information forming the backbone to NIAB’s Centenary celebrations in 2019, resulting in her meeting HM Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to NIAB that July.

Tricia started at NIAB in 1971 and over the years her knowledge of trialling, farming and the agricultural trade as a whole has earnt her great respect with our customers and staff. Tricia retires later this summer and we wish her the very best for the future, and many congratulations.

Other nominations for 2024 includes:

  • Agricultural Crop Characterisation (ACC) Team for innovation and improvement of training methods for seed crop inspectors, especially for the work done post-pandemic.
  • Dr Tally Wright for his work in establishing himself as NIAB’s leader in Quantitative Genetics following on the work that was started by Professor Ian Mackay. Tally is currently involved in six funded research projects. 
  • The Finance Team for the implementation of Xledger and the improvements made in reporting and forecasting financial data.
  • Ros Lloyd and Clare Leaman for their work in leading on the NIAB Landmark publication which is now one of the main vehicles to communicate NIAB’s work to our stakeholders.

Image:
Tricia Cullimore accepts the 2024 Bentley Nelstrop medal from NIAB CEO Mario Caccamo