Eighteen months after a massive downsizing that saw 135 jobs eliminated, the Canadian Wheat Board has scaled back its senior management.
Chief executive officer Adrian Measner says the changes will result in a leaner, more efficient and more responsive management structure.
While there will be some short-term costs associated with severance payments, the changes will eventually save farmers money, he said.
“It’s a more cost effective way of doing things,” he said. “In the long term, we will have less senior managers and there will be savings.”
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The restructuring is designed to lead to a management structure with fewer levels to report through to the chief executive officer.
Under the new structure, six managers from the main facets of the board’s business – operations, finance, communications, information technology, human resources and corporate services – report directly to the chief executive officer.
The changes are an extension of the downsizing that took place last year. Measner said he knew management restructuring was needed, but decided to put it off in light of all the other changes taking place.
“I just felt we had enough to deal with and wanted to get through that first,” he said.
Two individuals lost their jobs as a result of the restructuring: chief financial officer Gord Menzie and treasurer Wendi Thiessen.
The new chief financial officer is Brita Chell, who will also retain her previous role as corporate controller.
Other changes include communications chief Deanna Allen taking over responsibility for farmer relations from Earl Geddes, who will head up the board’s product development and market support division. He replaces Gord Flaten, who is on leave and will return in July to become head of marketing, replacing the retiring Bill Spafford.
Measner has been proposed for re-appointment to another term as president and chief executive officer.
The agency’s board of directors made the recommendation to CWB minister Reg Alcock, who in turn has forwarded the proposed re-appointment to the House of Commons agriculture committee for review.
