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Melvin L. Davenport, Sr. Vice President,
Potandon Produce LLC
Melvin has been in his current job for 10 years
and has over 30 years of experience in the potato
industry. He has extensive experience in vegetable
production in fresh, canned and frozen product.
He has managed large argicultural operations (10,000
acres), managed field departments for Green Giant
processing plants, worked in product development
and has focused on fresh potato and onion products
for the last ten years. He is one of the founders
of Potandon Produce and is a key member of senior
management, who collectively have grown the company
400% in growth and profitability in the last ten
years. |
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Jeff Bragg, Product
Development Manager, Potandon Produce LLC
Jeff has been a consultant in the potato industry
since 1981, doing agronomic work in irrigation.
disease management, and fertility analysis. Possessing
a degree in Agriculture, Jeff's interest in varietal
development is what led him to Potandon Produce
in 2003. He has been a past President of Research
and Education Potato Growers of Idaho. Jeff's
main responsibility is to monitor all aspects
of growing and packing Klondike Rose™ potatoes. |
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Tom K. Hughes, President, Mackay &
Hughes, Toronto, Ontario
Tom has been in the potato business for over 26
years. He is credited with creating the Klondike
Rose concept, and has assembled one of the greatest
value chain teams in the potato industry. Tom's
goal is to leave a lasting impression in the potato
industry. |
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Roger Jungquist, President, Maple Wood
Farms Mt. Vernon, Washington
Roger runs a fourth generation family farm that
was first established as a dairy farm in 1935.
In the late 1940’s there was a transition
to crops. His attention to detail, combined with
many hours of hard work in the field ensures that
Maple Wood Farms cultivates a product second to
none. Roger has served on the Washington State
Potato commission from 1989 to 1995. |
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Peter Schouten, Wes Heppell’s –
Heppell’s Potato Corp. Coverdale, B.C.
Their company was founded in 1992 and operates
in the fertile soil of the Fraser Valley. Peter
and Wes’ enthusiasm and dedication to detail
combined with hard work has made them the quintessential
grower and packer in the region. |
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Jacob van der Schaaf, President: Solanum
International Inc., Tuberfrosum Technologies Ltd.,
and Spudwyk Farms, Outlook Saskatchewan
Jacob was born and raised in a “potato”
family in Holland. After military service he emigrated
to Canada. He pursued a university degree and
graduated with honors. Subsequent to that he worked
in different capacities in the field of agriculture.
For 4 years he served as a special assistant to
the Federal Minister of Agriculture Hon. E. Whelan.
Jacob is currently enjoying farming potatoes,
researching and developing new potato techniques.
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Nynke Vermue Vice President and Jan Vermue
President West Edmonton Seed Potatoes, Edmonton
Alberta Canada
Nynke Vermue Vice President and Jan Vermue President
West Edmonton Seed Potatoes, Edmonton Alberta
Canada. Both Nynke and her husband Jan were born
into the potato business working on their family
farms in Holland. In Canada they worked on and
eventually bought West Edmonton Seed Potatoes.
WESP works together with the world’s top
breeding houses for the production of new and
improved potato varieties. They have become an
industry leader in this area and are highly specialized
in handling various sizes of seed lots. www.eliteseedpotatoes.com
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Hendrik Bakker, General Manager, Solanum
International Inc. Thea Bakker, Chief Financial
Officer, Solanum International Inc.
Solanum International Inc. represents European
and South American breeders of potato varieties
and offers a diverse selection of unique varieties
to the North American consumer with emphasis on
shape, flesh color and taste. Hendrik was born
and raised in the Netherlands where he obtained
his degree at The Agriculture College. He was
a seed grower, sugar beet contractor and custom
operator before emigrating to Alberta, Canada
in 1988. Together with his wife Thea they owned
and operated West Edmonton Seed Potatoes producing
high class seed potatoes for over 40 varieties.
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