AALP Class 17 continues with their leadership journey at Seminar 3 in Sarnia

Sixteen of the eighteen current and emerging Agricultural Leaders in agriculture, agri-food and rural sectors have been continuing their leadership journey with their third seminar in the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program. For Class 17’s seminar in Sarnia, the customized leadership program explored the theme of “Shaping the Future, Dynamics of Change, Decision Making and Responsibility”.

During their time in Sarnia, the AALP Class 17 group had the opportunity to expand their learning with host Don McCabe, Director and Past President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, who gave an insightful tour of the growth and development in the area. The tour continued to the UWO Sarnia Lambton Research Park, Canada’s largest clean-tech incubator, focused on large-scale industrial biotechnology.

Class learning experiences over several days included tours and information sessions at Roelands Plant Farms Inc., Truly Green Farms Greenhouse, GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc., Michigan Sugar Company and Cargill Sarnia Terminal.

The Rural Ontario Institute, the organization that delivers the program, values learning from diverse perspectives and includes a focus on collaboration in its mission statement. Guest speakers such as Graham Hoogterp AALP Class 14, who discussed Understanding First Nations Issues in Ontario, gave the class significant insight into these issues from a historical and present-day perspective.

One of the highlights of the seminar was the Dean Tiessen Legacy Dinner. In honor of Dean, an AALP Class 10 graduate, his AALP classmates established the Dean Tiessen Memorial Fund to help support the third seminar of each AALP class. This seminar is traditionally hosted in Dean’s home region of southwestern Ontario and is focused on the theme of “change,” which his classmates feel very appropriately describes Dean’s approach to his agricultural businesses. An innovator, early adopter, always driven to look for solutions, as well as his energy and passion for agriculture, and most importantly, his community and family, exemplifies what the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program is all about.

AALP participants will continue their learning about leadership and organizational development theories and practices, government and political processes, economics, trade policy, global affairs, sector and industry-related issues in Ontario and globally through North American and international study travel components.

AALP is delivered by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI). For more information visit www.ruralontarioinstitute.ca/aalp

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For more information contact:

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Ontario Institute

(519)826-4204 (Ext.222) | rblack@ruralontarioinstitute.ca