Speaker Biographies

Keynote Speaker: Peter Kenyon

Peter Kenyon, a social entrepreneur and community enthusiast, has worked with over 600 communities throughout Australia and overseas to facilitate fresh and creative ways to stimulate community and economic renewal. He is motivated to create healthy, inclusive, sustainable and enterprising communities built from the inside out; and encourages residents to invest in themselves, their ideas, assets and resources. For more information...

Presentations

Yorkton Conference, Saskatchewan (Pictures Available)

Local Speaker Biographies
Prince Albert - February 23, 2004
Rob Lobdell Rob Lobdell is a farmer and owner/manager of a special crops processing plant near Eston, Saskatchewan. He has served as President of West Central Road & Rail Ltd. ("WCRR") since 1997 - a community-based corporation with over 1800 shareholders. It was established to maintain rail service along 300 miles of CN branch line network within the region. WCRR has focused its efforts on maintaining volumes on the line through the development of an innovative grain gathering concept.
Grace Whittington Grace Whittington and her husband own the Riverbend Plantation, a family-owned and operated saskatoon berry orchard and on-farm gourmet food processor. Their products are sold at over 200 locations across Canada. Trained as a home economist, Grace was the original developer of the saskatoon berry chocolate recipe and is the past president of the Saskatchewan Food Processors Association.
Cam Taylor Cam Taylor is a cow/calf producer and a Director of Natural Valley Farms Inc. which is planning to develop a packing plant and a European Union (EU) certified slaughter facility near Neudorf, Saskatchewan.
Yorkton - February 24, 2004
Helgi Helgason

Helgi Helgason farmed for 40 years before retiring in the Spring of 2002. He has been the chair. plant manager and operator of Milligan Bio-Tech a small private company that uses canola oil to produce a number of environmentally responsible products. Over the years, Helgi has chaired many boards, including the Foam Lake Co-op, the Parkland Seed Cleaning Plan Co-Op, the Foam Lake United Church Unified Board, the Air Cadet Civilian Committee, and the Men’s Curling Club.

Lionel Hughes Lionel Hughes is the founding editor and co-owner of Prairies North (formerly Saskatchewan Naturally Magazine) which launched in 1998. He moved to Saskatchewan in 1994 after tiring of the rushed pace in Toronto and on Vancouver Island. Saskatchewan presented a number of opportunities suited to the skills he and his wife, Michelle, had, but publishing a provincially focused geographic magazine seemed too exciting to pass up.
Cam Taylor Cam Taylor is a cow/calf producer and a Director of Natural Valley Farms Inc. which is planning to develop a packing plant and an EU certified slaughter facility near Neudorf, Saskatchewan.
Swift Current - February 25, 2004
Marcel van Staveren Precision Ag was started in 1994 by Marcel van Stavern and two brothers, Jay and Greg Gerry. Previously, Marcel worked in Medicine Hat. He is currently the Senior Sales Agronomist and is accountable for providing agronomic expertise, education, and advice to the staff and customers of Precision Ag.
Chief Larry Oakes Chief Larry Oakes has been Chief of the Nekaneet Indian Band since 1996, and is an enthusiastic entrepreneur. Chief Oakes has been involved in creating several businesses, such as a craft store, and an outfitting and guiding business. He is currently working on a healing lodge and a wind energy project.
David Fiddler David Fiddler is a cow/calf producer in the Swift Current area, and a value-chain consultant working with Natural Valley Farms Inc., which is planning to develop a packing plant and an EU certified slaughter facility near Neudorf, Saskatchewan.
North Battleford - February 26, 2004
Lawrence Blouin Lawrence Blouin is the Manager of Table Mountain Regional Park. Table Mountain is a downhill ski area near North Battleford that has been in operation for 30 years. The business provides a needed recreational activity for area residents, as well as employment for about 100 people from the surrounding rural farming communities.
Wanda Wolfe Wanda Wolfe has successfully diversified into organic farming and is actively involved in the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association. She has also been a member of ACRE since its inception.
David Fiddler David Fiddler is a cow/calf producer in the Swift Current area, and a value-chain consultant working with Natural Valley Farms Inc., which is planning to develop a packing plant and an EU certified slaughter facility near Neudorf, Saskatchewan.