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Appointee Biographies

Agricorp

JASON VERKAIK

Jason Verkaik is currently the Owner/operator and President at Carron Farms Ltd. His community involvement includes coaching with Bradford Minor Baseball and Barrie christian hockey league. He is currently a board member Holland Marsh growers Association. Formerly, he served 10 years on the board of the Ontario fruit and vegetables growers association, two years as chair. He served three year on the Ontario Produce Marketing association board and governece committee. He served 4 years on the York Simcoe Conservative riding Association as chair.

JOHANNA CHEVALIER

Johanna Chevalier, a former two-term Councillor for the Town of Caledon and Region of Peel, Johanna has worked closely with residents, government representatives, non-profits, and a wide range of stakeholders to support the highest growth municipality in Ontario. Johanna drove advocacy positions on high-profile issues such as human trafficking, intimate partner/family violence, anti-Black racism, and illegal land use and goods movement. Johanna has sat on numerous additional committees and boards, including chairing the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance and serving as Vice Chair of the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.

JOHN KIKKERT

John Kikkert is currently a Commission Sales Representative at Floradale Feed Mill and a former Sales Representative at Maple Leaf Poultry. His community involvement includes serving as Director, Vice-President and President of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario.

GREGORY VANDEN BOSCH

Gregory Vanden Bosch is the President of Vanden Bosch Elevators Inc. He previously served as Vice-President of Vanden Bosch Farms Inc. His community involvement includes serving as Director of the Grain Section Committee of the Ontario AgriBusiness Association. He is a member of the Association of Agricultural Production Executives. Mr. Bosch holds a diploma in Agribusiness from the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology.

JOANNE VANDERHEYDEN

Joanne Vanderheyden is the Mayor of Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc, and a former service representative at Libro Credit Union. Her community involvement includes serving as a national board member for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

DEREK MENDEZ

Derek Mendez is Vice President at Molesworth Farm Supply. Community involvement includes serving as a Director to the North Perth Police Service Board, Director for Animal Nutrition Association of Canada, Chair of the Ontario Agri-Business Association Feed Section Committee. Education includes master’s Certificate in Business Analysis from York University, Python programming certificate from Cornell University, B.Sc. Management Studies from University of the West Indies and Post Graduate Diploma in Port Planning & Management from the University of New Orleans.

DOMINIC MORRISSEY

Dominic Morrissey is the Vice President of Business Development for Tenacious International Inc. Dominic is a former District Manager with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, overseeing agricultural files.

TAMMY YOUNG

Tammy Young, of Cargill, is the Owner and Operator of Les Young Farms Ltd. and a Grain Merchandising Consultant with White Commercial Corporation. Tammy’s community involvement includes serving as the 2nd Vice President with the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture.

JOHN CORE

John Core is President of Core Brothers (Plympton) Inc., a cash crop farm in Lambton. He is also a former CEO of the Canadian Dairy Commission. Mr. Core's community involvement includes serving as Chair of Guelph General Hospital Board of Directors and served as a member of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Board of Directors for six years. He holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Guelph.