CWB needs CEO... grain marketing skills not needed!

[TOM4CWB]

Look Parsley.. WD9... Chaff!

President And Chief Executive Officer

As an inspirational leader of integrity and vision, you will provide strategic and proactive leadership aligning with the structure, vision, values and culture of the CWB. Primarily, you will be accountable to the farmers as well as other stakeholders. The Board of Directors will look to you for expert advice in analyzing options and their economic and financial impact, implications on the farm community and legislative and regulatory changes, as well as your support in establishing the mission, strategic direction and policies of the Corporation. You will then transparently implement the Board’s policies, overseeing the day-to-day activities in the pursuit of creating a sustainable competitive advantage for farmers and customers. As well, you will present budgets for approval, develop a technology strategy, enforce capital acquisition and investment policies, and protect assets and operations. Diplomatic and persuasive, you will foster effective relationships with elected officials, suppliers and purchasers. Demonstrating an openminded and collaborative approach to leadership, you will promote an atmosphere of excellence, diversity and accountability. Staff will look to you for performance appraisals, compensation and benefits based on market-related standards.

Ideally, your academic qualifications include a degree from a recognized university in a relevant field, such as agribusiness, business and/or government relations, or a combination of equivalent education, training and experience. You have a proven leadership and management track record at the senior executive level in a sophisticated and multilayered service oriented environment. Your leadership experience includes balancing and representing various interests in a fair and equitable manner and managing issues with key stakeholders, elected officials, government agencies, opinion leaders and policy makers at the highest level. Superior communication skills in writing and presentations ensure you can establish consensus and organize and integrate concepts and data into usable systems for problem solving. Knowledge of farmers, farm issues, and Agribusiness and International trade would be desirable. An understanding of the regulatory environment and the major issues regarding the global agricultural environment would be attractive.

To apply for this exciting opportunity or for further details, please respond in confidence, by July 9, 2007, to:


Diane Chua, Boyden Global Executive Search
Phone: 403.237.6603 ext 304 Fax: 403.237.5551
Email: dchua@boyden.com

For more information about this position, visit www.appointments-nominations.gc.ca

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.


What an interesting approach to getting a new CEO/Pres!

Grain Marketing is not even mentioned!

[SASKFARMER3]

I here Lorne Calvert is going to be looking for work in the near future and has applied.
No experience he has.
No common scence he has.
Looks after the underdog that's him
Hell he will get it.

[padron]

I truly hope someone with vision and strong leadership qualities applies for this position. The CWB can still offer a viable alternative for producers who wish/prefer to market their grain collectively. I stress alternative because it has to be voluntary participation.

Unfortunately the issue has become so politicized that I'm afraid the encumbant is done before he/she even starts.

I am one of the believers that a CWB pooled marketing mechanism can exist in parallel with an open market. They have value that can be used to fill in their missing parts - namely an infrastructure. If the government decides to make a one time payment to producers rather than give it to the CWB as they request ($1.5 billion)I've been an advocate of the concept to give the money directly to farmers and let them be free to decide if they want to buy "shares" in the CWB. I know, farmers will claim they already own the CWB. But this is more of an investment in supporting the concept. The CWB could then use this capital to buy/build facilities as well as negotiate handling agreements and even marketing agreements with elevator companies. (I hear JRI has a couple of elevators for sale in Manitoba).

But to say the new CEO doesn't need marketing skills is incorrect. That's exactly what is need to re-invent the CWB.

[Lifer]

How much grain marketing skills does the CEO really need?

The fact that the CWB requires people with grain marketing skills is difficult to argue. Does the CEO have to know how to do everything?

[TOM4CWB]

Lifer,

Since the CWB's purpose is to provide innovative and effective marketing options to/for grain growers... it is hard to accept logic that says a grain marketing background is not meaningful or a required attribute.

It is a big responsibility to determine the future of so many farm folks... from one chair in Winnipeg!

[TOM4CWB]

Lifer,

I believe your's is the same logic... that was used to prevent CWB Directors from using CWB Producer Pricing Options until a few weeks ago!

We would be looking at a very different CWB -IF- Directors were responsible to use and make a living from the marketing decisions they made... the very reason (Logic) CWB Elected directors are supposed to be "Actual Producers" as required by the CWB Act in the first place!

[padron]

In my view a knowledge of commodity markets, transportation and risk management techniques is critical in order to know that the direction the CWB is taking is the right one. You don't see anyone in senior management at Cargill, Dreyfus or ConAgra who hasn't run a trading desk at some point in their career. It's fundamental.

[btjadenlepp]

Tom - am i reading your post right that CWB directors are no longer prevented from using the PPO's? what happened there?

[TOM4CWB]

btjadenlepp,

I am told as of the June 07 CWB Directors meeting they changed this policy.

Charlie P agreed with the change... I have called for it from the first day Directors could not participate in PPO's.
It was about time CWB Directors admitted to reality... Grain markets are driven by factors much larger and more important than what some of these CWB Directors gave themselves credit for creating!

Hopefully, now, we can get down to business and make these marketing options viable and better serve grain growers in western Canada!

[Lifer]

I guess that is correct Tom.

The mission of the CWB of course being:

Creating a sustainable competitive advantage for farmers and customers through our unique business structure, innovative marketing, superior service, profitable investments and effective partnerships

My logic was more simple. Does the CEO of a car repair shop need to know how to fix the car.

[wd9]

I disagree Tom, it does say it, just doesn't use the words grain marketing.

- analyzing options and their economic and financial impact

-transparently implement the Board’s policies

-Knowledge of farmers, farm issues, and Agribusiness

[TOM4CWB]

WD9,

I thought you might... !

Grin!

My ! could have been a ? But;

It was done in good faith as a discussion point since Grain Marketing is less obvious and important than it could and should have been... IMHO!

Upon Review... Experience with Risk Management... these skills connected with -Grain Marketing- will be prime factors in the future success of a refurbished CWB with exceptional value for us. This issue has been a real point of frustration for many growers... and now consumers of our produce... that the CWB has taken the responsibility to market (ie. Malt and Feed Barley & Feed Wheat)

[rook]

Honestly, I'd rather have a CEO who has proven himself capable of navigating and stickhandling through change and re-inventing the organization. A successful CEO will turn the organization into something that provides value to me and something that I will want to continue to do business with, even when it's voluntary (knock on wood and please soon).

[charliep]

Maybe there are some recent unemployed grain company CEO's that have some of these qualifications. I can think of one individaul that took an organization from a wooden elevator/cooperative to a business based high through put system. Lots of mergers (friendly and hostile) occurred during this persons tenure. This person managed change within the organization through the whole process.

[padron]

That person also never posted a positive bottom line during his tenure and is appropriately unemployed today. Hmmmmm.