turnover at SPG

[gustgd]

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Appoint Directors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday, December 14

The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) Board of
Directors has appointed Tim Wiens of Herschel
and Corey Loessin of Radisson to serve as
Directors on the Board for a one year term.

“We are happy to welcome Tim and Corey to the
Board,” says Morgan Nunweiler, SPG Board
Chair.
“Tim brings great experience in strategic
planning from his time on the Sask Canola
Board, and
Corey has excellent knowledge of the industry
and its partners, having served as the SPG
representative to Pulse Canada.”

“We would like to thank Shawn Buhr, Jim Moen,
and Bert Vandenberg, who have chosen to
resign
from the SPG Board effective Thursday,
December 13, for their work on behalf of the
Board and the
industry. Their dedication and passion for
the pulse industry was essential in building
our strategic
plan.”

Tim and Corey will be joining current board
members Morgan Nunweiler of Kindersley and
Lee Moats
of Riceton, as well as newly re-elected
Director Vicki Dutton of Paynton and
returning Director John
Bennett of Biggar.

“The SPG Board continues to focus on the
exciting opportunities ahead in the pulse
industry,” says
Nunweiler. “In 2013, through our strategic
partnership with the University of
Saskatchewan, we will be
celebrating the milestone of 100 varieties
that have been developed by the Crop
Development Centre
and distributed to growers through our
Variety Release Program.”

“SPG is working with industry to develop a
strategy to address the growing number of
consumers in
the world who are actively seeking healthy
food choices. The pulse industry is poised
for substantial
growth.”

For more information please contact:

Morgan Nunweiler
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
Board Chair
P: 306-831-7667
mcnunweiler@sasktel.net

SPG represents over 17,000 pulse crop
producers in Saskatchewan. Accountable to and
funded by

[bucket]

So the three didn't have their way, so they can't work with others.

Speaks volumes on their character.

If they were to resign they should have when this whole thing started instead of waiting to see if they could control the board.

[farmaholic]

Does anyone think the 3 who resigned would
have stayed if the election would have
Simpson and Hundeby elected. After what
they did resigning was the honorable thing
to do, regardless of the outcome. I
wonder how dysfunctional the board would
have been had they stayed sitting? No
matter what they decided their reputation
is somewhat tainted now. Good luck to the
Board.

[TOM4CWB]

Wow haveapulse... I AM Speachless~!!!

Christmas Cheer to ALL!!!

[gustgd]

http://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/news/resignatio
ns-cap-awkward-sask-pulse-growers-
vote/1001929496/

Resignations cap awkward Sask. Pulse Growers
vote
Two appointed to board after three quit

Dec 14, 2012 7:15 PM - 0 comments TEXT SIZE
By: Staff
Crops
A pulse crop producers' vote to fill two spots on
the board of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers has
wound up with three new directors, in a short-lived
controversy over the issue of endorsing
candidates.

SPG directors Shawn Buhr, Jim Moen and Bert
Vandenberg -- whose seats were not involved in
this year's election -- submitted their resignations
Thursday.

The resignations followed Tuesday's
announcement that eligible growers had re-
elected Vicki Dutton of Paynton for a second
consecutive term and also returned John Bennett
of Biggar to the board.

SPG's board on Friday appointed Tim Wiens of
Herschel and Corey Loessin of Radisson to fill
two of the sudden vacancies, for interim terms of
a year each.

Wiens, who had run unsuccessfully for one of the
two vacant seats, "brings great experience in
strategic planning" to SPG from his stint on the
board of SaskCanola, SPG chairman Morgan
Nunweiler of Kindersley said Friday.

Loessin, meanwhile, "has excellent knowledge of
the industry and its partners, having served as the
SPG representative to (the national pulse crop
industry body) Pulse Canada," Nunweiler added.

Dutton, Bennett and Wiens were among five
candidates in SPG's mail-in vote, which began in
mid-November with a ballot deadline of Dec. 6.

As SPG mailed out its ballots to eligible growers,
Moen, Vandenberg and Buhr pushed out their
own press release on Nov. 19, throwing their
endorsements to the two other candidates, Rob
Hundeby of Elbow and Trevor Simpson of Moose
Jaw.

"A key duty of elected SPG directors is to identify
and encourage people to let their name stand for
election as director," Moen, Vandenberg and Buhr
wrote in their release. "The directors assisted
them in the nomination process and ask pulse
growers to vote for these young farm
businessmen in the election which is underway."

"It is encouraging to see this new generation of
young pulse growers run for our board," Buhr said
in the release. "We need their input and new
ideas to move our pulse industry forward. It is so
beneficial to our industry to have an election
which provides choices and stimulates
discussion."

"Support and trust"

The next week, however, an official SPG release
announced that the board "would like to
communicate some recent changes to its
governance policies." Among those:

no director will actively campaign in an SPG
election, apart from campaigning for themselves;
neither the SPG board nor its directors will
endorse candidates in an election; and
the SPG board will "review, and change where
warranted, its nomination and election policies."
"The board felt that it was necessary to address
issues that have been raised during this 2012
election and to publicly clarify our governance
policies to ensure that we maintain the support
and trust of our growers," Nunweiler said in the
Nov. 27 release.

"We have always had clear policies regarding
director duties and conflict of interest at the board
table, but felt it was essential to further develop
our policies regarding director elections."

The Nov. 27 release added that Moen,
Vandenberg and Buhr "apologize(d) to the board
and candidates."

Following their resignations Thursday, Moen,
Vandenberg and Buhr were thanked in SPG's
release Friday, with Nunweiler noting "their
dedication and passion for the pulse industry was
essential in building our strategic plan."

The three new board members assume their roles
alongside Dutton, Nunweiler and the sixth
director, Lee Moats of Riceton, following SPG's
annual general meeting.

SPG's AGM runs Jan. 7 at Saskatoon's
Prairieland Park, as part of Pulse Days during
Crop Production Week.

[gustgd]

http://www.zoominfo.com/#!search/profile/person?
personId=300740814&targetid=profile

Web References
New Director-At-Large Joins Board
www.ssca.ca, 29 Mar 2012 [cached]
Corey Loessin, along with three of his family
members, operate a 6000-acre grain, oilseed,
special crop, and beef cattle operation at
Radisson. The Loessin farm has used a direct
seeding system for five years and soil
conservation is considered a top priority in their
operation.
After completing a BSA degree in 1986, Corey
worked for five years as a District Agriculturist
with Alberta Agriculture. Upon his return to
Saskatchewan and the family farm in 1991, Corey
began instructing crop science courses at the
University of Saskatchewan during the winter
months. He has been extensively involved in the
development and administration of distance
education programs in Agriculture. He is past
president of the Saskatchewan Ag Grads
Association and has served for five years as
agriculture advisor on the National Advisory Panel
for the Canadian Chemical Producers
Association. Corey recently joined the
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association as a
director at large.
Corey's leisure interests include hockey,
snowmobiling, waterskiing and motorcycling.
Corey and his wife, Joan, have two children.
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
www.ssca.ca, 1 Jan 2006 [cached]
Corey Loessin, PAg
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
ssca.usask.ca, 1 Jan 2004 [cached]
Corey Loessin, PAg
2nd Vice-President

[oneoff]

Now lets expand our minds a little bit and contemplate what such developments mean; in the bigger context.

Can any board or municipal council work together; even though there are differing views and opinions?

And do we have any Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics that we can all depend on.

I'm saying are outcomes predictable; or are we just stunned by personally decided suprizes.

That report of engaged security forces at a duly held vote (as per Sask Local Government Elections Act) should bother you all.

[tipsy]

anyone find it interesting that weins
didn't get elected so they apoint
him anyways?

[bucket]

Just to throw a wrench into things, maybe they should have appointed Simpson or Hunteby to see if they would take the director seat without the backing of their 3 backers.

Would they have the same conviction?

It always seems funny how people want to change the world but only on their terms without compromise. I put Buhr, Moen, Vanderbrg, Simpson and Hunteby in that class. Mostly I consider them spoiled rich kids who picked up their marbles and went running home to suck on mom's tit.

Why didn't the three issue a press release admitting their errors and said they were looking forward to working with the board on the behalf of producers.

Humility, its where compromise starts.

[wmoebis]

Who appointed them, the old directors or the new ones?

[farmaholic]

Can someone post the vote count? Did
Wiens get more votes that Hundeby or
Simpson? Did anyone approach Hundeby or
Simpson to sit(appointment)? The whole
process was marred by the actions of 3
directors. Depending on which camp your
in will determine your opinion of the
results.

[bluefargo]

According to something I heard a while ago the vote count was not going to be realeased.

[Jfreedom]

Regardless of vote count Wiens brings a ton of
experience to the board from the canola council
without any conflict . Hundeby and Simpson might
be great guys but experience and a calming
influence is what this board needs at this time .
Hopefully these young guys aren't discouraged
enough to never run for something again the
industry needs new blood . They will now have a
ton of life experiane to draw from .

[TOM4CWB]

jfreedom,

You read it right on Wiens. If you care to go back and
look... Hund sold his farm... and while allowed to stand
for election... better for the leadership to have
someone actively farming in a commercial sense.

Which is what got Bert into the bind in the first place.

Bert is a brilliant plant breeder... one of the best in the
world. I personally have no doubt of this... as I believe
the vast majority of commercial growers of pulses in
western Canada.

Bert has been tireless... motivated... and skilled...
HARD work has brought our pulse industry far... and
the sweat from Bert's brow has been as much
responsible to the creation of a world class pulse
industry... as any other pulse industry leader in
Canada.

Sometimes we NEED to take a step back... and
concentrate on our strongest gifts... Like Bert and Plant
Breeding... to best serve our industry.

This was not about money for Bert and his friends.
Neither was the election.

These 3 people have been important to our industry...
and a big thanks for working to better our farms in
western Canada.

I truly hope Bert will see this as a learning growing
experience... and make even better progress with CDC
in varietal development for our collective farms in
western Canada.

Have a great Christmas one and all... may 2013 be
kind to you and yours!

[dave4441]

New board doesn't take affect until after AGM at
Crop Production Show in jan. Old board has a
duty to appoint interested candidates in the case
of a resignation. These people are appointed for
a 1 year term and then face a vote. Looks like
there is still one open spot on the board, so
anyone with interest should make that interest
known. I see value in appointing people that had
already made the decision to run in the election or
involved with Pulse Canada as SPG rep.

Goal now is to ensure strong relations with CDC
and with Dr. Vandenberg who has obviously had
massive impact to the special crop industry as a
breeder.