Title: Group Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Manager

Company: Australian Vintage Ltd.

Location: Merbein, Victoria

Group QHSE Manager Vaerie Cranwell-Smith became involved in her profession because of her educational and occupational background in science. After working for a time at a dog food-testing laboratory, she became involved in winery services and currently celebrates six years working for Australian Vintage Ltd. Ms. Cranwell-Smith’s areas of expertise in the company include consulting and writing documents for statements of purpose, safety manuals, and emergency procedures. Professionally-driven, she feels that constantly keeping up with quality and regulatory systems has contributed to her achievements in this field.

Attributing her career success to working hard and staying committed to the company, Ms. Cranwell-Smith feels that the highlight of her career was spending six months living and working in California at a wine-packaging facility that was a sister site to a winery with which she was already affiliated. Highly-experienced in her field, some of her responsibilities for her current position with Australian Vintage Ltd. include ensuring they meet health and safety regulations, overseeing packaging, and communicating with customers. Ms. Cranwell-Smith advises hopeful professional women to start at the bottom and work their way up in their professional pursuits.

In preparation for her career, Ms. Cranwell-Smith earned a diploma in management business from Australia Institute of Melbourne in 1997, following a Bachelor of Science in physiology from Charles Stuart University in 1983. Invested in her professional area, she belongs to the South Australia Wine Industry Association and feels that Champion software solutions have made a difference in her work. She also supports the work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In the future, Ms. Cranwell-Smith plans on retiring and focusing on consulting work with a small business. In 1972, she received the Queen’s Guide award.