TOPIGS Canada announced in January that Glenn Kuhn has

joined its staff as Business Development Representative. Glenn will be based out of the TOPIGS Winnipeg office. In his new role, Glenn will develop sales in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. He will also be responsible for technical support to customers in Western Canada.

“Glenn has extensive experience and knowledge of swine production bringing great value to the TOPIGS team. His experience with sales and service with producers will also be a great asset to us at TOPIGS. We welcome Glenn to our team.” said John Sawatzky, Sales Manager at TOPIGS.

Glenn is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan. He gained several years of commercial pig production experience before accepting a position as manager of a large Genetic Nucleus in Saskatchewan. Most recently, in the past two years Glenn’s role was in genetics sales and service. His years of experience gained in various production roles as well as customer sales and service will be invaluable.

Glenn looks forward to being part of the progressive attitude and excitement that is a TOPIGS trademark as he moves into his new role.  •

Genesus is pleased to announce the appointment of Xavier Temple in the role as a Business Development Representative.

He will concentrate on accounts in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Western Canada, and Montana. Xavier brings with him over 24 years of experience in the industry. The majority of his career was with the employment of Designed Genetics Inc.

Xavier has established himself for his outstanding business relationships with clients. His integrity and ethics along with his reputation, is known as one of the top sales professionals in our industry. Xavier is well connected throughout the Hutterite colonies. He believes in bringing value to his customers and delivering a good product for them to meet their packing plants expectations. This marriage between the client and the sales representative provides a company with a branding for success.

Genesus is also pleased to announce the appointment of Tony Martel in the role Territory Manager.

Tony will concentrate on customer service and production support in Manitoba. Tony brings with him over 12 years of experience in pig production with Hylife, primarily as manager of sow units of up to 6000 sows. Tony’s extensive pig knowledge will be of tremendous value to Genesus clients.

“Genesus is very happy to have both Xavier and Tony join our team. Genesus is committed to our base in Western Canada and Montana, and strengthening our team. ” ~ Mike Van Schepdael  •

MPC congratulates HyLife on receiving the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters’ (CME) Export Award. HyLife and other award recipients will be honoured at the CME’s 2014 Gala Awards Dinner on Wednesday, March 26 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. This annual event is held to celebrate manufacturing and exporting excellence in Manitoba.

HyLife is being recognized by the CME for demonstrating excellence in expanding into geographic markets and through significant and sustained export sales, exhibiting good corporate citizenship, and contributing to the expansion of employment in Manitoba and Canada.

Over the past several decades, HyLife has grown to be the largest privately held hog-production company in Canada. The key to the company’s success is their ability to turn challenges into opportunities, along with their dedicated, determined and innovative management team. Well done!  •

Curtiss Littlejohn, a well-known former hog farmer and industry advocate, has been hired by Canarm/BSM to lead the development and launch of its line of products for sows, offering hog producers high quality, leading, “Made in Canada” choices for their sow barns.

Littlejohn will be Canarm/BSM’s Swine Products Manager.

Littlejohn was part of the committee which oversaw the development of the new Canadian Pork Code of Practice.

He was also a farrow-to-finish hog farmer for 29 years. He sat on the board of Ontario Pork for 12 years, including a period as chair of the board of directors as the organization was undergoing significant reorganization. Littlejohn also led and participated in national programs in the pork sector, including marketing, quality assurance, traceability and disease control. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program.

“Hog farmers are going to need solid, practical solutions to coming changes in how they house their sows,” says Curtiss Littlejohn. “I’m impressed by the commitment of Canarm/BSM to providing those solutions and I believe we can help producers more efficiently navigate through the changes.”  •