Guelph ON, 07 June 2022 – Four innovation industry leaders have joined the board of Bioenterprise Canada, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine. Selena Basi, James Meddings, Olga Pawluczyk and Keith Thomas have begun their three-year terms on the Bioenterprise board of directors.
“Our national network has grown substantially in the last two years, and we look forward to new opportunities across the food and agri-tech sectors as we heighten the focus on sustainable innovation,” says Bioenterprise CEO Dave Smardon. “We are excited to have our new board members join us at this pivotal time and we welcome the unique insights and expertise that they will bring to Bioenterprise as we continue to expand the Engine across the country.”
Selena Basi is Vice President, Government and External Relations at Woodfibre LNG Limited. A past Assistant Deputy Minister for trade and industry development in British Columbia, Basi has 14 years of provincial public sector experience in BC working across economic portfolios, innovation, and industry where she led the development of policy work for the agriculture and agri-tech sectors in the province. A graduate of the University of Victoria in political science, she’s passionate about sustainable production and increasing the country’s economic potential through technology and growing food.
“I was attracted to Bioenterprise because I see the organization as a key convener and connector that can bring together the parts of a really important, exciting and high potential industry in Canada,” Basi says. “I think that our food industry across the country, combined with our tech industry, is a force to be reckoned with and Bioenterprise has the ability to support the growth of companies through their mandate and strong vision and leadership.”
– Selena Basi
James Meddings recently retired from the federal public service after 32 years, and the last five as Deputy Minister of FedDev Ontario. Previously, he held increasingly senior roles with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Privy Council Office, Human Resources Development Canada, Environment Canada, the Canada School of Public Service and Western Economic Diversification. Prior to his retirement, Meddings was a board member with Communitech Corporation and served on the Toronto Region Board of Trade Recovery Framework Steering Cabinet, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Advisory Council on Ontario’s Economic Future, the U.S-Canada Innovation Partnership and the federal government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector table. He also represented Canada on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Regional Development Policy Committee for the last six years.
“Agtech is a hugely important sector and a truly strategic advantage for Canada. The work that Bioenterprise Canada has been doing for many years to grow Canadian companies in this sector has been outstanding, and it is a privilege for me to serve on its board,” Meddings says.
– James Meddings
Olga Pawluczyk is the co-founder and CEO of Waterloo-based P&P Optica, which she launched in 2004 with her father Romek Pawluczyk as a research company focused on developing high-end spectrometers. Pawluczyk assumed full leadership of the company in 2010, and over the last six years, has pivoted to focus exclusively on building quality and safety solutions for the food processing industry. She’s driven by the opportunity to combine emerging technologies to improve the nutritional quality, safety, and sustainability of our food, and serves as a member of the Canadian Food Innovation Network advisory board and the North American Meat Institute Foreign Materials Committee. Pawluczyk holds a B.A.Sc. in engineering from the University of Waterloo, a Master’s in Medical BioPhysics from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
“What attracted me to Bioenterprise Canada was the community of entrepreneurs driving innovation in Canada’s food industry. Since shifting our focus in that direction, Bioenterprise has supported our growth,” Pawluczyk says. “We’re proud to be part of their SmartGrowth program, which has helped support the commercial installations of our systems, and because of the amount of support we’ve received, I wanted to give back to the community as a board member. I’m excited to work with the community and bring forward new technologies in the industry.”
– Olga Pawluczyk
Keith Thomas is a proven entrepreneur with experience in leading and growing businesses across a variety of sectors. He is currently a partner at Abbeywood Partners, an investment firm focused on mid-market private companies, and Chair and former CEO of Vive Crop Protection. He built and sold healthcare technology firm Vector Innovations to a Fortune 50 company. He has also led large-scale restructuring projects at New York-based Tandon Capital, managed strategy and operations projects at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and completed corporate finance transactions at Citibank. Thomas is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), former board member of CropLife America, and former Chair of the University of Toronto Governing Council’s Business Board with board oversight of its operating and capital budget. He holds an MBA from Columbia University, and an M.A. in Economics and B.A.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Toronto.
“I was attracted to the role of board member because I have been a long-time supporter of Bioenterprise Canada and believe in its goal of enabling technology development that supports agriculture across the country,” Thomas says.
– Keith Thomas
Bioenterprise Canada is Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, bringing more than 15 years of industry experience and a national and international network of research institutions, academia, mentors and experts, government, and industry to help small and medium-sized businesses in the sector nationwide Connect, Innovate, and Grow. Through its experienced service partner network, Bioenterprise Canada offers a wide range of expertise and support to its clients, and partnerships with other industries help open doors to new technologies and platforms to help food and agri-tech businesses innovate and grow. Visit https://bioenterprise.ca/ to learn more.
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For more information:
Dave Smardon, Bioenterprise, dave.smardon@bioenterprise.ca or 519-821-2960
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