News Business & Policy
United Potato Growers of Canada elect new officers and directors

The United Potato Growers of Canada announced the recent election of Wayne Rempel, CEO of Kroeker Farms in Manitoba, as the new chair of the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) after serving several years as the secretary.

Rempel takes over the position from potato grower Ray Keenen of Rollo Bay Holdings in P.E.I., who held the position for many years. Keenen will stay on as past chair.

Gord Medynski, director of sales, purchasing and business development of Dolbec Potatoes in Quebec was named the new vice-chair, taking over for Denis Bissonnette who stepped down from his position this year. Medynski has served as director of UPGC for several years and is the vice-president of the Fresh Committee and on the five-member executive board of Les Producteurs de Pommes de Terre du Quebec.

Matt Hemphill, executive director of Potatoes New Brunswick has been elected as the new UPGC treasurer, taking over from Brenda Simmons of P.E.I., who has dedicated many years to the board. Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board and previously a director has been elected as the new secretary, completing the officer positions.

The UPGC has representatives of each potato growing province as directors, who were elected at the its March 13 AGM, including: Michelle Flis (director, Les Producteurs de Pommes de Terre du Quebec); Dan Sawatsky (manager, Keystone Potato Producers Association); Kevin Brubacher (general manager, Ontario Potato Board); Shawn Brenn (chairman, Ontario Potato Board); John Visser (chairman, P.E.I. Potato Board); Rachel Durepos (Atlantic Potato Distributors Ltd, New Brunswick); Terence Hochstein (executive director, Potato Growers of Alberta); Matthew Lawless (president, Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association); Kevin Nickel (vice-president, Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association); Hugh Reynolds (Reynalda Farms, Delta, B.C.); and Cory Gerrard (Swenson Farms, Delta, B.C.).