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CLICK HERE TO VIEW LAUNCH VIDEO

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Do you love the rural retail business?See yourself being the boss one day?

Want to develop yourself through learning?Want to continue to build your stores profile locally?Want to create a network of like minded superstars?

BUSINESS OWNERSHave a young gun in the ranks?

Want this gun to be your right hand person for years to come?Want to your young gun to become an even bigger asset?

Want to see your young gun develop into a complete business person?

Want to keep your young gun in the rural game?

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SUPPORTING SPONSORMAJOR SPONSORS

All members at the AIRR member conference gala dinner would remember the terrific speeches of the top 5 AIRR Young Guns of 2014. These speeches cemented delivery of the program’s objectives; development/enhancement of critical skills required to run an independent rural store, encompassing areas such as financial & inventory management, merchandising, marketing, customer service, sales skills and the importance of utilising the resources of R&D suppliers to create opportunity and sales in what at times can be a tough game. If you have a gun in the ranks, please think back to those speeches and how these talented people developed. You could be the next fortunate employer.

Applicants are to fill in a short application form and complete the round one selection criteria. From this, the top 10 are selected and flown to Sydney to under go training with industry leaders in Sales & Marketing, the importance of R&D, Advertising, Financial management and Leadership – fostering the young gun participants passion for all things rural coupled with the tailored business knowledge. Crucially, the group get to workshop ideas with their peers – something that can’t be done normally due to geographic locations. Regardless of where someone calls home, everyone shares the same challenges.

The round 2 reports from the top 10 in the 2014 Young Gun program were again absolutely outstanding. Some of the findings implemented during their community nights were brilliant, forward thinking and showing their savvy business acumen learnt during the program. Importantly, this work resulted in some great sales and new business.

The calibre of our sponsors this year show what high regard AIRR, its members and the Young Guns program is held. To major sponsors Dow Agrosciences, Gallagher, Bayer and supporting sponsor Waratah we thank you

for taking part in the 2015 program and for sharing our focus on finding the best talent in our network of well over 200 stores. We have no doubt many great relationships between the ‘Guns’ and these industry leading suppliers will be built and flourish. Special mention must be made to Dow Agrosciences, Waratah and Gallagher who were integral parts of the 2014 Young Guns program and who I know for a fact are enjoying the fruits of the program working at local level with last year’s proactive participants. It is absolutely clear why these suppliers are industry leaders.

The top 5 finalists will be flown to the 2015 Member Conference to experience the fantastic event.

If you are a business owner, encourage your Young Guns to apply. The amount of great references we had from owners last year was amazing, and it goes without saying your staff appreciate these. Feedback and praise is one of the great motivators. Think about having your staff member trained in the above mentioned facets and what that can do for your business? Every business needs at least one gun.

If you are a Young Gun that fits the criteria, we implore you to apply. From a knowledge and personal development point of view, this program offers some great exposure to modules that can make you an even bigger asset to your business, with the ultimate aim of you one day owning your own rural store that you can proudly call an AIRR member. The opportunity to peer network and idea share is one of the great parts of being part of a group such as AIRR and the unique opportunity that is AIRR Young Guns.

We look forward to seeing the applications fly in.

Cheers, Kane Law

AIRR are pleased to launch its Young Guns program for 2015 to members.

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➊ Peter Ham, Hamilton Produce VIC (winner)➋ Kate Ramm, Farmers Warehouse NSW➌ Cassie Ryan, Cox Rural SA➍ Sara Kreutzberger, Rand Farm Supplies VIC➎ Shaun Farmer, North West Rural Supplies QLD

“ Gallagher are pleased to be part of the AIRR Young Guns programme - the opportunity to assist in the development of rural merchandise talent with AIRR s a privilege, & an important responsibility of our industry. The 2014 programme we are sure benefitted the Young Guns, but acknowledge the benefits to our team members whom were involved in the Young Gun projects, workshop & other interactions. Gallagher look forward to contributing to the development of young rural merchandise talent again for the 2015 AIRR Young Guns...” - Malcolm Linn, Gallagher General Manager

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September 1 Applications dueSeptember 8 Top 10 AnnouncedOctober 2 Sydney SeminarsNovember 15 Reports DueDecember 1 Top 5 AnnouncedJanuary 15 Video/Photos dueFebruary Winner announced at AIRR Conference

The applicants must work at an AIRR member store, be under the age of 35, be looking to develop personally & professionally and be keen to implement the knowledge and findings that they learn along the way

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Part 1: Applicant details ■ Submit application from the end of this document

Part 2: Create a Business Facebook page for your store ■ LIKE the AIRR Facebook Page www.facebook.com/airrrural

■ Get customers to like your page

■ Upload your store & staff photo to the AIRR Facebook page

■ Send your store link to kane@airr.com.au & elaine@airr.com.au

Part 3: Provide a brief written reference from your store owner / manager as to why you should be one of AIRR’s next Young Guns

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Part 1: Knowledge RoundThere are many hats to wear in this game, we believe knowing a little bit about everything is just as important as knowing a lot about one thing, so let us get you on your way! Your task for this round is to spend time learning a little about lots!PLAN FOR YOUNG GUN NIGHT: Spend time with a few of your local farmers or customers at their properties and learn about what they do and why they do it! Find out about what your store could do to offer more to your customers through products, new services, or even simple additions to make life easier! Think about how you might run your community night and what you’d like to learn from the experts first. Make sure you get the most out of the peer networking program!Q’AIRRE FOR SUPPLIERS: We’ll send you a questionnaire collated from suppliers which will ask more about you, your role and the business you work for. That will help them to tailor their presentations and activities for you during the Sydney seminars.PEER NETWORKING PROGRAM: Top 10 Applicants will undergo training in the following areas:

■ Sales ■ Financial Management ■ Local Marketing & Advertising ■ Customer Service ■ The importance of range in rural retail ■ Importance and value of R&D suppliers in rural Australia ■ * Feel free to take up any of the suppliers offering more training or factory tours etc which will aid

you in the community night.

Part 2: Field Day / Evening Event ■ Design an invitation, advertise & promote throughout your store, on Facebook, throughout the

local community. ■ Organise and run an information session at your store, presenting any topic of your choice to

your store’s customers. ■ Engage the suppliers to promote their products on the night through displays or specials etc.

Communicate the benefits and sell to your customers. ■ Upload photos to your business Facebook page and share on AIRR’s!

Part 3: Findings, Actions & Recommendations Report ■ Tell us about what you learned from the Peer Networking Program in Sydney. ■ Were you able to apply what our sponsors taught you to your community night?

How did you prepare for the night, what did it look like and how did it go overall?

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Part 1: Store Activity ■ Come up with 3 changes that you could implement within the shop to enhance your stores

profile/offering based on your findings from the community event that you held. Implement these changes.

■ Develop a minimum of 5 cost effective ways to promote your store in the local community and start to action these.

Part 2: Video/Photos & Report ■ Reflect on the program as a whole & tell us about your experiences through a video or a slide

show of photos & a report.

■ Cover off how your store activities went and how you plan to further develop based on what you learned from the theory & practical elements of the program.

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In addition to filling our this form, please include a separate document addressing the selection criteria below using 300 words or less:

■ Education / Rural work experience ■ What do you enjoy about the rural industry? ■ What are your strengths? ■ What areas would you like to develop? ■ What made you want to apply for the AIRR Young Guns program?

Please submit this application (as well as your document mentioned above addressing the above criteria) to kane@airr.com.au & elaine@airr.com.au

Name DOB

AIRR Member Store State

Job Title Manager

Contact number Email