April 30, 2010, Guelph, Ont. – In a sometimes emotional speech,
Flowers Canada Growers executive director Dr. Irwin Smith said goodbye
to
friends and colleagues attending his retirement reception.
April 30, 2010, Guelph, Ont. – In a sometimes emotional speech,
Flowers Canada Growers executive-director Dr. Irwin Smith said goodbye to
friends and colleagues attending his retirement reception.
Some 75 people attended, including growers, past and present
board members, researchers and his FCG colleagues.
|
| New executive director Dean Shoemaker (left), accepts a ceremonial key to the FCG office from Dr. Irwin Smith (at right), while board member Tom Mulleder looks on. |
Smith joined Flowers Canada (Ontario) in February 1999.
FCO president Andrew Kuyvenhoven says a great deal of thanks
is owed Smith for his role in advancing the profile of the greenhouse
floriculture industry. “Irwin has accomplished many strategic partnerships and
has brought in millions of dollars in project and research funding,” said
Kuyvenhoven. Smith also effectively managed staff, and most importantly, “he
has clearly understood our industry needs with hundreds, if not thousands, of
greenhouse visits and meetings to his credit.”
Smith was especially effective in opening new lines of
dialogue with the various levels of government, to ensure floriculture receives
its fair share of attention.
Among highlights of his tenure, Smith helped steer Ontario
growers through the Section 12 registration of the Ontario Farm Products
Marketing Act. In January 2008, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission
conducted a vote and the majority of Ontario's greenhouse floriculture growers
who participated supported Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. being designated as
their representative association and paying a mandatory licence fee to fund the
organization. Covered are greenhouse floriculture growers with at least 20,000
square feet of production.
Dean
Shoemaker is the new executive director. Shoemaker has worked closely with the
FCO and Flowers Canada Growers staff for over five years. He has a strong
business and agricultural background.
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