2015 MIA NOMINEE FOR PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MEMBER SEAT

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1 TERRY BETKER, P.AG., CAC, CMC I am honored to be nominated for a position on the Provincial Council of the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists. I believe in agriculture. I also believe in the importance of what we as Agrologists can provide to agriculture and the general population from and within our professional capacities. I am proud to be a professional Agrologist and welcome the opportunity to make a contribution to our professional association. I enjoy working within a governance model and in working within an organization to help it work towards its objectives. I believe that I have a contribution to make and if my nomination is accepted, will work to the best of my abilities. Terry is President and CEO of Backswath Management Inc., a company that provides management expertise to farmers, primarily on strategic, business and succession planning, financial analysis and human resource management. A popular speaker on management issues, Terry has delivered presentations to agriculture organizations throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Chile, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Poland. He teaches at university and serves on national and provincial committees. Terry has completed the executive program for agricultural producers at Texas A&M University. His credentials include certification in mediation theory and strategic planning, and a science degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba.

2 CASEY FOX, P.AG. I am extremely pleased to accept a nomination to join MIA s Provincial Council. I believe the agrology profession serves a vital role in delivering safe and healthy food to our tables in an ethical manner. I look forward to the opportunity to become involved in the governance of the profession and to use my knowledge and experience to help shape the direction of the Agrology profession in Manitoba. Casey Fox is currently Associate Vice-President, Agriculture with Concentra Financial. In this role, Casey is responsible for the development and implementation of corporate policies and procedures related to the agricultural assets of Concentra as well as financial product development for Concentra s agriculture portfolio. Casey also is responsible for managing Concentra s relationships with its credit union partners across Canada and oversees Concentra s agricultural loan syndication program. Over the last ten years, Casey has held various roles in the agricultural finance industry with several Canadian chartered banks. Casey holds a B.Sc. (Agribusiness) and an MBA (Finance) from the University of Manitoba and is a 10-year member of MIA, serving on the Audit Committee for the last three years. Casey lives in Winnipeg with his wife and two children.

3 ARTURO GARDEWEG, P.AG. Being a Professional Agrologist has been a strong asset in my career development in the private sector as well as in the Manitoba Government. The agriculture sector recognizes MIA as an institute with high ethics and principles. I have a strong belief in the Agrology profession and MIA s role in the community. As an immigrant, with experience in the private sector and in the Government, I can be an ideal Council candidate. It is now my time to give back to the community and have a more active role in the agriculture sector. The role of a Provincial Council member provide the best way to support the Agrology profession. I would like to contribute to the success and growth of MIA as well as take an active role to help new members who are in the Internationally Educated Agrologists Program. Arturo Gardeweg holds a Bachelor s Degree in Agronomy from the Universidad Austral de Chile and a Master s Degree in Agribusiness from Washington State University. Arturo has been working with the Manitoba Government in the International Trade Department since His work entails promoting trade opportunities for Manitoba s agriculture and agri-food sectors in Latin America. It includes research and identifying trade and investment opportunities for Manitoba businesses, and plan and manage incoming and outgoing business missions to establish trade between Manitoba and Latin American markets. He is involved in organizing, recruiting, and coordinating agriculture and agri-food trade shows. He is actively involved in industry seminars, conventions, and conferences locally and internationally and work closely with various government organizations, business owners and private sector representatives. His experiences in the private sector include being Marketing Sales Manager for Latin America at Keystone Grain Ltd. He has developed new market for the company through Latin American countries and expanded customer base. He oversaw the export process and verify compliance with overseas laws and regulations, as well as product support for customers. He developed a portfolio of Canadian business owners capable of supplying different commodities to meet international demand for these products and provided commodities supply and demand forecast report using statistic tools to determine inventory levels. He also worked at Meyers Norris Penny as an Agricultural Consultant. Arturo s experience in Chile was in the bank industry as a Credit Risk Analyst in an international commercial bank before moving to Manitoba in Arturo has been a member of Manitoba Institute of Agrologists since 2002.

4 2015 MIA NOMINEE AND CURRENTLY ON COUNCIL LORI-ANN KAMINSKI, P.AG. Those of us who know Agrologists realize that our colleagues comprise a broad rich pool of skill and experience. The expertise of Agrologists is needed in society now and into the future but many people do not know who we are or the skill that we can contribute. I am pleased to accept a nomination to Council to do my part to ensure that our public mandate is a MIA priority. Lori-Ann is currently employed in two contract positions by the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association and by Cereals Canada, both as Research Manager. She is always excited to be working for farmers as they develop a new cereals organization for Manitoba producers. Her previous employment experience includes 10 years as a Program Officer for agricultural research grant funding with Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Development, work in economic entomology research on plant pests and pollinators and technology transfer. She received her B.Sc.Ag. from the University of Saskatchewan. Since that time agricultural career opportunities have led her to positions in every western Canadian province and to Carman, Manitoba in She is also a member of the Agricultural Institute of Canada.

5 2015 MIA NOMINEE AND CURRENTLY ON COUNCIL DARREN KEAM, P.AG. My colleagues on Council and I are enthusiastic about advancing the profession. The commitment to our profession by all, and especially by new council members, is greatly appreciated. As professionals I believe we provide value to our core business of agriculture and food production however our comprehensive professional experience embraces a much larger spectrum of industry and society including; bioresource and environmental management, manufacturing and economics, law, engineering and society as a whole. We need to believe in ourselves as valued professionals and it is my intention to ensure that the profession advances as a regulated and valued profession. Darren Keam, M.Sc., P.Ag. Darren has been a member in good standing with the MIA since 2003 and has been actively involved since 2005 with the Winnipeg branch, Council Committees and now as Council President. He is also currently a member in good standing with the Saskatchewan and Alberta Institutes. Darren is a Professional Agrologist with MMM Group Limited here in Winnipeg and leads Environmental Management Services in Western Canada. As a Senior Project Manager, his projects require the coordination of multiple science disciplines for a sustainable approach to environmental management; this often requires coordination for ecologist, environmental scientists, fellow agronomists, civil engineers, transportation engineers, geotechnical and hydro geological engineers and risk assessment professionals for both public and private industry clients in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

6 2015 MIA NOMINEE AND CURRENTLY ON COUNCIL RAY REDFERN, P.AG. I am pleased to again place my name in front of members and stand for re-election to the Provincial Council. Being a part of Council has provided me with an opportunity to give back to the profession I have been a part of for over 30 years. During that time I have seen many changes in the agriculture industry, including the diversity and quality of the work Agrologists do. Agrologists have never had a more important role to play in agriculture and the environment than they do now. I believe we all need to stand up, in any way we can, for the public and the profession. I am ready and willing to commit my experience in business, and on Council this last three years to the future and do what I can to support the development and evolution of a strong self-regulated profession in Manitoba. As President of Redfern Farm Services and Redsper Enterprises/Accu- Test, Ray is deeply involved at a management level in delivery of agricultural products and agrology service and advice at the retail level throughout southwestern Manitoba. Although located in Brandon, he remains involved in the management and operations of Redfern Family Farms growing small grains, oilseeds, pulse crops including seed and contracted value added production, along with forages, all with irrigation components, having partnered in development of an extensive pipeline project supplying irrigation water to this operation and to a potato production operation. Some of Ray s previous involvements include various industry associations that support the retail agribusiness sector including CAAR, and the Prairie CCA Board, and he has also participated in review of agricultural research projects. Continuing interest in seeking diversification alternatives for Canadian Agribusiness, and investigation of agriculture and agribusiness in the international community. Ray holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (agronomy and economics) from the University of Manitoba, which led to several years of practice as an agronomist before becoming and entrepreneur. Ray s professional development has included several business management courses. He was first elected to the MIA Provincial Council in 2012.

7 KARIN WITTENBERG, PH.D., P.AG. As a long standing member of MIA, I have recognized the increasing complexities related to agriculture and the role of Professional Agrologists with respect to the health of Manitoba s economy, environmental stewardship as well as the quality of life for Manitobans. Professional Agrologists will play a major role in helping our sector and the public adapt to a future that will include rapid change and opportunity. As Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, I recognize that our education programs, research findings and outreach efforts have an important role to play in developing well educated people, many of who will become professional Agrologists, and the tools needed to achieve future health of our industry and people. Dr. Karin Wittenberg has a doctorate in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Manitoba, where she is now Dean, in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. An initiative led by Karin has resulted in the recent establishment of the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE) at the University of Manitoba. Completed in 2007, NCLE plays a major role in training and research related to the complex economic, social and environmental issues facing animal agriculture. Undergraduate and graduate students training in this program are highly sought by employers as a result of their field experience and ability to work on large, multi-disciplinary teams. The Centre s mission is to further the economic and environmental sustainability of integrated livestock and crop production. Canada. Karin also led the concept development, fundraising and construction for the recently opened Bruce D Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Center which features interactive displays and programming to explain the role of science in making food. To date, more than 15,000 visitors have come to the Centre to participate in activities that help them understand current food production in Karin s work as a university academic and professional Agrologist reflects the continuing need to improve economic competitiveness and to address key issues facing animal agriculture. Most recently, she provided a keynote address entitled Moving toward Prairie Agriculture 2050 at the 10 th annual Alberta Institute of Agrologists, based on a green paper that considered adaptation and resiliency of Western Canadian food production in light of a changing climate. Wittenberg has been recognized for her contributions by the Canadian Society of Animal Science Award for Excellence in Nutrition and Meat Science in 2004, the YMCA Woman of the Year in Science and Innovation in 2008, the Education award from Manitoba Pork Council in 2009, and a Canadian Society of Animal Science fellowship award in Karin s research has focused on the plant and animal interface with more than 200 publications. This includes technology development to improve harvest and storage of forages as hay and silage; the study of animal energetics in grazing systems and application of novel technologies to allow us to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from cattle in commercial production systems.