Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, Colin was exposed to the field of agriculture from an early age. The summers spent working with his grandfather on the family’s grain farm instilled in Colin a deep appreciation of the hard work and passion that growers bring to their work every day. In addition, his uncle’s position with one of the leading foodservice operators in Canada provided Colin with a view of the promising work opportunities in the produce industry.
As a young adult, Colin pursued both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Saskatchewan, earning a Bachelor of Arts in the field of International Studies and Business as well as a Master in Business Administration. Upon his graduation, he joined an upcoming Saskatoon-based produce company called Star Produce, which was beginning to become recognized around North America. It was then that his lifelong career in the produce business was launched.
Colin’s first project at Star Produce was complex and challenging: he was responsible for leading the development of a software program that would enable the company to move away from its paper-based operations to the digital world. This overreaching project required Colin to develop an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the produce business.
Over the next 22 years, Colin worked in varied professional capacities at Star Produce, having been the company’s Vice-President of Sales, Senior Vice-President of Operations, as well as the President of Star Produce’s owned company, BC Hot House Foods. Currently, Colin is the President of Berry Operations at Star Produce.
Colin has been active within the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) throughout his entire produce career. He was a Director of the organization from 2007-2012, and then again from 2015 to the present time. He has sat on numerous CPMA committees over the years and is also on the executive and human resources committees. At present, Colin is the Vice-Chair of the CPMA Industry Technology Advisory committee.
When outside the office, Colin likes to indulge in his passion for gourmet cooking and is said to work magic on his Big Green Egg. In addition, he enjoys playing guitar and travelling. He is most proud of his wife of 28 years, Raquel, who is a psychoanalyst and professor of Psychology; his 23-year-old son Lucas, who is a McGill University graduate and who has joined the greenhouse lettuce operations at
Star Produce; and of his 17-year-old daughter Sophia Eloise, who is a Fine Arts student and young actress.