Seated, Bart Fieten, research field


coordinator (left) and


Nick Ibuki, operations manager; standing, Matthew Coutu-Moya, verification


administrator and


Erin Wallich, research program administrator.


SUSAN MCIVER Staffing gets an overhaul at PICO


Leaner,more efficient operation the goal for Okanagan Plant Improvement Corp. By Susan McIver


T


here are several new faces and also some familiar ones at the Okanagan Plant Improvement


Corporation (PICO) in Summerland following a reorganization that took place last summer. The changes in personnel are


primarily the result of an attempt to domore with less through a reduction inmanagement costs as Keith Carlson explained shortly after his appointment as chief executive officer and generalmanager of PICO. He took over after John Kingsmill’s


contract as CEO of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association-owned company was terminated in July and two administration staffmembers resigned. Longtime operations manager KenHaddrell retired in June and researchmanager Paul Birzens indicated he would not be returning for the new research program.


16 Carlson was selected for a 2 1/2-year


termbased on his familiarity with PICO, including its partners around the world and the grower community. A highly regarded Summerland


grower, Carlson served on the PICO board for a number of years, including as board chair. Carlson told B.C. Fruit Grower that


he believes PICO needs to do a better job of verification with themany new varieties it has commercialized successfully over the years. Protection of varieties is part of


PICO’smandate. Matthew Coutu-Moya was the


successful candidate for the newly- created position of verification administrator. Growing up in Summerland Coutu-


Moya worked in local orchards, including that of his stepfather, Charlie Leinor. After earning a bachelor’s degree in


biology and psychology fromthe University of Victoria, Coutu-Moya returned to Summerland. “It’s exciting to work for a company


that is so central to agriculture.” He explained that part of the


agreements with growers purchasing new varieties are restrictions on the amount of acreage that can be planted in different regions. These restrictions help to keep the


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2014


price of the resulting fruit at an economically sustainable level. “It’s important to verify what has


been planted where,” Coutu-Moya said. Until now, Coutu-Moya has focused


on establishing the process for verification. To a large extent this involves


comparing the growers’ records with those of PICO to check for any discrepancy. “Collaboration is the key.” He plans to test the process locally


starting with apples. His first offshore visit will likely be


to Chile next year. Coutu-Moya explained that in


foreign countries PICO partners with companies that look out for the corporation’s interests. In Chile that partner is the David


del Curto Company, a world leader in the area of fresh fruit exports. PICO’s other new faces include Erin


Wallich, research project administrator, and Bart Fieten, co- ordinator of horticultural research. Wallich, who grew up inWinnipeg


holds amaster of science in plant physiology with an emphasis on forestry. She worked as a research scientist in


tree breeding and nursery culture for Weyerhaeuser inWashington State for


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