Giant Biographies
Erin Armstrong is director, research and product development, Canterra Seeds, and is responsible for variety acquisitions and licensing and intellectual property management. Armstrong joined the company in 2008 following her tenure as president and CEO of the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute. Prior to BMBRI, she worked with Canada Malting Co., Ltd. and General Mills, Inc. Armstrong holds a bachelor of science in agriculture from the University of Manitoba and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Ottawa. Currently she is the vice-chair of the Intellectual Property Committee for the Canadian Seed Trade Association, CSTA’s representative on the International Seed Federation Breeders Committee and Sustainable Agriculture Committee, a voting member of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oats and Barley, chair of the Prairie Grain Development Committee, co-chair of the Biotech Wheat Working Group, part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Grains Round Table, and the Canterra Seeds representative to the BMBRI Technical Committee.
Lloyd Dyck is chairman of BrettYoung Seeds headquartered in Winnipeg. Dyck has made a major mark on the Canadian seed industry through running his company, serving on the Canadian Seed Trade Association executive team and representing the Canadian seed industry on various international seed associations during his more than 35-year career. Dyck grew up working weekends at BrettYoung, where his father, Peter, was then employed, cleaning burlap bags, bagging seed and loading trucks during the winter and in spring and fall helping seed or harvest the crop on the farm. He studied commerce at the University of Manitoba, but left to start his career in the seed industry in 1977 with BrettYoung, two years after his father purchased the company.
Matthias Haug was born on May, 8, 1961 in Cologne. He joined Bayer AG in 1984, where he held a number of positions in the former Crop Protection Business Group. In 1995 he took charge of the Crop Protection Business Unit in Portugal. In 1998 he returned to headquarters in Monheim, Germany, as Regional Head Eastern Europe. From 2001 to 2007, Matthias Haug was responsible for the company’s crop protection business in Italy. In April 2007, he was named head of region Latin America/Africa/Middle East within the Corporate Center “Regional Coordination” at Bayer AG in Leverkusen, Germany. In November 2009, he moved to Columbia to serve as senior Bayer representative for Andean Countries and head of Andean Countries within the Bayer CropScience business unit Crop Protection Latin America. Since December 2011, Matthias Haug is global head of SeedGrowth within the Business Management of Bayer CropScience.
Karsten Neuffer has been head of Seedcare for Syngenta since 2012. Prior to this, he held the roles of global head of cereals and head of cereals for EAME from 2009-2012 and head of strategy, planning and new business development for the company from 2006 to 2009. Neuffer joined Syngenta from McKinsey, where he was a consultant for seven years and a member of the leadership team of the Global Chemical Practice. Karsten holds a Master of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Karlsruhe and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Neuffer will succeed Antonio Carlos as Regional Director for Latin America for Syngenta and will relocate to São Paulo, Brazil in the first quarter of 2014.
Patty Townsend is the CEO of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. She is well known in Canada as an agricultural association professional. She joined CSTA as vice-president in 2006 with a primary focus on government, member and public relations, strategic planning and governance. In 2011 she accepted the position of CEO. After receiving her degree in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, Townsend became the first female Agriculture Canada Dairy Inspector in Western Canada. Following that, she spent almost four years in a radio and television newsroom, and since then has dedicated her career to association management and public and government affairs at the provincial, national and international levels. Over the course of her career, Patty has worked for and with farmers and companies involved in every sector of Canadian agriculture, and for academics, extension specialists, educators and scientists.
Tim Welbanks is lead agronomist for Maizex Seeds. He is an industry veteran, with more than 30 years experience at some of the most respected companies in the ag industry, including Monsanto, Pioneer Hi-Bred and Northrup King Seeds. Welbanks brings this experience to dealers, farmers, staff and management in the development of technical cropping information, including newsletters, catalogues, product presentations, agronomic presentations and new product positioning. He has served in many areas of the industry, including president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, board member at the Canadian Seed Institute and chairperson for CropLife Canada.
