The committee looking for a new president and chief executive officer
of the Canadian Wheat Board has finished its work.
But committee member and CWB chair Ken Ritter won’t say who it has
chosen for the grain marketing agency’s top job.
“We are in the final stages of selecting a CEO and it would be
inappropriate of me to make any kind of announcement around it,” he
said.
Greg Arason, the only chief executive officer the board has had since
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it was restructured in January 1999, announced early this year he would
be retiring as of Dec. 31.
The board’s search committee has passed its recommendation to the
federal government, which under the CWB Act is responsible for
appointing the CEO.
Ritter declined to say whether the committee gave the government a
single name or a list of names from which to choose.
Timing of the announcement is up to Ottawa, he added.
A spokesperson for wheat board minister Ralph Goodale wouldn’t give an
indication when an announcement might be made.
“As specific as I can be is that we will have somebody in place before
Arason’s term runs out at the end of the year,” John Embury said.
People in the grain industry and prairie farm organizations have been
speculating for months on who might replace Arason, the former CEO of
Manitoba Pool Elevators, who has received good reviews for his
performance, even from CWB critics.
A grain industry newsletter said last week that Adrian Measner, the
board’s executive vice-president of marketing, is expected to be named
the new CEO.
The newsletter, published by Saskatoon market analyst Larry Weber, said
Measner was on a short list that included former Manitoba provincial
cabinet minister Clayton Manness and an unnamed American candidate.
Ritter declined to comment on the report.
In an interview, Weber wouldn’t identify the source of his information,
other than to say it came from people who would know.
Art Enns, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association,
said he hopes the selection of a new chief executive officer is based
on qualifications and not politics.
“I hope they put in somebody who has had a lot of experience in the
grain industry and can bring forward ideas to make the board viable in
the future,” he said.
National Farmers Union executive secretary Darrin Qualman said it’s
“absolutely vital” that the new CEO is a committed supporter of single
desk selling.
He also thinks it’s important that he or she has a background in the
grain industry and be familiar with the CWB’s unique role as both a
business and an organization that works on behalf of farmers.
“It would be difficult for someone who comes from a for-profit
corporation in another industry designed to maximize profits and
maximize charges to make the transition to the CWB,” he said.
However, Ritter said the search committee wasn’t necessarily looking
for someone with a background in the grain industry.
“We were looking for someone with vision, leadership, the ability to
manage others and a proven track record,” he said. “It’s certainly
helpful to know the business, but the candidate had to have those
proven leadership qualities.”
The search committee consisted of seven CWB directors plus one
representative from Goodale’s office.
Under the CWB Act, the government is responsible for appointing the new
CEO, while the board is responsible for setting the compensation terms.
The practical effect of that is that both must agree on the appointment.
According to the CWB’s annual report for 2001-02, Arason received an
annual salary of $250,115.
