The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced the re-appointment of 3 members, Michele Hengen, James Laws, and Govert Verstralen to Farm Credit Canada's Board of Directors. The 3 members have each served on the Board since 2017 and will continue for a term of 4 years, effective immediately.
Michele Hengen is a seasoned consultant with over 25 years of expertise in the insurance, investment, and pension industries. She holds the designation of Associate Certified Coach and is also a published author. She also operated an independent risk consulting and executive coaching practice for 5 years and provided services to a diverse range of clients before joining People First to support a broader clientele.
James Laws brings over 40 years of experience in agriculture, having held senior agribusiness roles across Canada and worked internationally on development projects and private-sector farm operations. As an Agricultural Consultant, he has undertaken projects overseas in Suriname, Senegal, and Tanzania. He also served as Executive Director of the Canadian Meat Council (2004-2016) and the Canadian Farm Business Management Council (1999-2003).
Govert Verstralen has over 45 years of expertise in banking, finance, and agribusiness. He served as a Principal Officer and President and CEO of Rabobank Canada and was a member of the North American Compliance Committee and Operational Risk Management Committee. He has also been a board member of Food Processors of Canada for 11 years and served on the Canadian Agri-Food Marketing Council for 5 years, where he advised the Ministers of Agriculture and International Trade on strategies to grow Canada's food industry.
