DISTRICT GOVERNOR'S VISIT

Rick Istead has been a long term player in the Canadian agriculture scene having worked for Syngenta Crop Protection Canada Inc. and its predecessor companies for almost 34 years in both eastern and western Canada and at its international headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Responsibilities over that period included early stage research, product development, technical service, regulatory affairs and most recently the marketing of Syngenta’s seed treatment products. Rick retired from Syngenta in mid 2006 and shortly afterwards established a small Ag Business consulting service based out of Calgary. The firm offers consulting services in the regulatory, product development, marketing, communications, and board governance fields . Since 2006 Rick has been supporting the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission and the newly created Alberta Wheat Commission as their Executive Director helping the boards of both organizations build a new vision and strategy for the wheat industry in the province and in Canada. Now fully retired, Rick likes to keep active through his involvement in Rotary, where he is past President of the Rotary Club of Calgary Fish Creek (2009-2010), current Chair of the District 5360 Youth Exchange Committee, Rotary Leadership Institute facilitator and North American Youth Exchange Network (NAYEN) board member. Rick also keeps active by volunteering at the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank and the Calgary Zoo. Golfing and gardening in the summer and curling in the winter rounds out his list of hobbies. Rick is married to Pat and they have two daughters, Laura and Katherine all of whom are also active volunteers.