FEBRUARY 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


7 Staff reorganization targets leaner fruit co-op


Drive to cut costs could see co-op relocate


by TOM WALKER


KELOWNA – The province’s biggest fruit co-op is facing a dramatic shakeup, as turnover pares both the executive team and key staff In November, BC Tree


Fruits Cooperative’s board decided not to renew the management contract of CEO Stan Swales, who stepped into the role in November 2016. CFO Warren Everton also left to work for the city of West Kelowna after six years. Within the past month, key


grower support staff were dismissed and a member of the marketing department resigned. The individuals will not be replaced. Co-op president Jeet


Dukhia told Country Life in BC Everton “was looking for other opportunities.” “We have advertised for the CFO position and we have had 41 good applicants. We are shortlisting and hope within a week to have a new CFO,” he said in early January. Swales remains an


employee of the co-op, assisting with operations. The board had the option to reassign him from management in the third year of his contract, which it has done.


“He likes the co-op so much that he wants to try something different where he can be more helpful,” says Dukhia. “He is assisting the operations manager and focusing on long-term plans.” The co-op’s human


resources manager, Bob Fisher-Fleming, is serving as interim CEO while Swales’


Not all grower support is in the field. Hank Markgraf speaks on "maximizing production potential" at a recent BC Tree Fruits hort forum. Markgraf has also shared his knowledge across Canada and internaionally and co-hosted 120 orchadists this summer for the annual IFTA summer tour. Markgraf has been let go from his position as senior field services manager for BC Tree Fruits. TOM WALKER PHOTO


successor is chosen. The new hire will be the company’s third leader since 2012, when Alan Tyabji was hired. Tyabji was fired in 2016. Fisher-Fleming’s mandate


is “to keep things moving forward” during the critical winter marketing period, says co-op marketing manager Chris Pollock. Dukhia did not comment on the quest for a new CEO.


Cost-cutting


Dukhia described the dismissal of five of the co-op’s grower support staff as “cost


cutting.” Its well-respected senior


field services manager Hank Markgraf and long-time Okanagan field serviceman Tony DiMaria have both been let go. Creston Valley field serviceman Duane Holder was also terminated. Plant pathologist Danielle Hirkala and lab technician Lisa Hilbrecht were dismissed, too. “The board has asked the


acting CEO to restructure from the bottom end, to cut costs and bring the overhead into alignment,” says Dukhia. “These are both board and


management-led decisions.” Speaking on behalf of


Fisher-Fleming, Pollock described the firings as “a board decision” and “without cause” and said the co-op offered each employee a severance package. The cuts come at a time


when the industry as a whole is expanding. Dukhia says that growers


have purchased 1,500 acres of new land for fruit production in the last three years. Moreover, land that has


See CUTS on next page o Tree Fruit Competitiveness Fund


The Province of BC has provided funding to enhance the competitiveness of the tree fruit sector.


The fund is open to tree fruit growers, producers, and processors to support three key areas of priority: ● Research: cultivar, disease and pest research. ● Marketing: export market opportunities and market development research.


● Infrastructure: sector-based infrastructure modernization such as new equipment.


BIG GUN® SPRINKLER/ VALVE COMBO AUTOMATED WITH TWIG® WIRELESS CONTROLS


Irrigation Technology for the Future www.nelsonirrigation.com


3030 SERIES PIVOT SPRINKLERS


CONTROL VALVES


The Tree Fruit Competitiveness Fund is jointly delivered by the BC Fruit Growers’ Association and Investment Agriculture Foundation BC.


For details about the Tree Fruit Competitiveness Fund, including eligibility, deadlines and application forms, please visit www.bcfga.com or iafbc.ca/tree-fruit, or contact funding@iafbc.ca.


A preliminary report on project selection criteria and priorities is available at the BCFGA website, www.bcfga.com/322/Tree+Fruit+Competitiveness+Program


ROTATOR® TECHNOLOGY 1/2” & 3/4” IMPACT REPLACEMENTS


BC FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 1-800-619-9022 (ext 1) email: replant@bcfga.com www.bcfga.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47