Cr Geoff Akers was voted in to the role at an additional council meeting on Tuesday, October 28.
Cr Fern Summer also nominated for the position of deputy mayor, but was unsuccessful.
Cr Akers replaces Cr Anthony Brophy in the role, and will serve for one year.
Cr Akers is in his first term as a councillor, representing the Pine Lodge ward. It has been about one year since he was elected.
He said he decided to run for the deputy mayor position after several councillors approached him and asked him if he was interested in it.
Cr Akers described being elected as deputy mayor as “an honour”.
“I’ve always respected — even as a kid growing up in the Pine Lodge electorate — the leaders that Greater Shepparton has had,” he said.
He said most organisations he had been involved in had involved him in a leadership role.
A dairy farmer at Tallygaroopna, Cr Akers has significant agricultural industry involvement, which has seen him represent farmers in an advocacy role at the United Dairy Farmers of Victoria and Australian Dairy Farmers.
He has also been involved in research and development, having chaired the boards of Murray Dairy at a regional level and the board of Dairy Australia at a national level, which saw him lead the organisation as it managed its $60 million budget.
Cr Akers was also a chairman of the Victorian Farmers Federation Water Council and was appointed by the Victorian Government to the Northern Victorian Irrigation Renewal Project, which led the $2 billion irrigation upgrade across northern Victoria.
In his deputy mayor address, Cr Akers said he looked forward to working with the councillors and council staff to deliver the priorities set over this past year, and to serve the Greater Shepparton community.
“It has been an honour to work alongside a council who care so deeply about our region and have shown a commitment to setting a positive and unified direction for Greater Shepparton,” he said.
“Together we have developed a clear council plan for the next four years — to build a diverse, vibrant and connected community with opportunities for everybody.
“As councillors, our task is now to take that direction and bring our community with us.”
Cr Akers said he saw the role of deputy mayor as one of providing support to the mayor, fellow councillors and to the community.
“It is about being able to step up seamlessly when required, to uphold a culture of transparency and integrity, and to encourage open and respectful discussion and questioning,” he said.
“What defines Greater Shepparton is the way the community pulls together through challenge and change to keep moving forward.
“The next chapter is about turning our shared vision into action and doing it together with integrity and collaboration.”
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