Manitoba Business: Canadian Wheat Board / CWB / G3 Canada Limited

Link to:
Chief Commissioners | Assistant Chief Commissioners | Commissioners | Secretaries | Sources

Created by the Canadian government in 1935, the Canadian Wheat Board was a grain-marketing entity for western Canadian farmers. It commenced operation on 14 August 1935 with three commissioners (Farland, Smith, and Grant) and a seven-person advisory board consisting of Paul F. Bredt, L. C. Brouillette, Brooks Catton, Lew Hutchinson, Robert McKee, C. H. G. Short, and Sidney T. Smith. On 3 December 1935, all commissioners were replaced and the advisory board was disbanded. A new administrative group was put in place and it oversaw the operations of the Wheat Board through the 20th and early 21st centuries.

The Canadian Wheat Board lost its monopoly on grain marketing in August 2012, becoming a voluntary marketing organization. In 2012, with a name shortened to CWB, it began to convert into a commercial grain company that constructed high-capacity grain terminals at sites in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In July 2015, after a majority investment by the G3 Global Grain Group, a joint venture between the Canadian subsidiary of an American firm and a Saudi Arabian agricultural investment company, CWB was rebranded as G3 Canada Limited.

Chief Commissioners (Canadian Wheat Board)

Period

Chief Commissioner

1935

John I. Farland

1935-1937

James Richard Murray (1885-1963)

1937-1958

George Harold McIvor (1894-1991)

1958-1969

William Craig “Bill Mac” McNamara (1904-1984)

1969-1977

Garson Nathaniel “Gerry” Vogel (1918-1981)

1977-1990

William Esmond Jarvis (1931-2004)

1990-1998

Lorne Frederick John Hehn (1936-2015)

Assistant Chief Commissioners (Canadian Wheat Board)

Period

Assistant Chief Commissioner

1935

D. L. Smith

1935-1937

George Harold McIvor (1894-1991)

1937-1939

R. C. Findlay

1939-1944

Charles Gordon Smith (1902-1990)

1944-1945

Daniel Augustus Kane (1886-1961)

1945-1947

C. E. Huntting

1947-1958

William Craig “Bill Mac” McNamara (1904-1984)

1958-1965

William Riddel

1965-1969

John B. Lawrie

1969

Garson Nathaniel “Gerry” Vogel (1918-1981)

1969-1975

D. H. Treleaven

1975-1990

Ragnar Lawrence “Larry” Kristjanson (1930-2018)

1990-1998

Forrest M. Hetland

Commissioners (Canadian Wheat Board)

Commissioner

Period

F. L. M. Arnold (?-1948)

1947-1948

Ken Beswick

1992-1996

John Thompson Dallas (1909-1976)

1958-1960

R. M. Esdale

1969-1975

W. Charles Folliott (?-1943)

1938-1943

Charles W. Gibbings

1969-1982

Dr. H. C. Grant

1935

Thomas William Grindley (1901-1969)

1948-1950

Forrest M. Hetland

1975-1990

C. E. Huntting

1944-1945

Daniel Augustus Kane (1886-1961)

1943-1944

Richard H. Klassen

1988-?

Ragnar Lawrence “Larry” Kristjanson (1930-2018)

1965-1975

John B. Lawrie

1961-1965

J. L. Leibfried

1975-1985

Gordon P. Machej

1990-?

William Craig “Bill Mac” McNamara (1904-1984)

1945-1947

William Riddel

1950-1958

Walter Earle Robertson (1898-1989)

1953-1964

Dean A. M. Shaw

1935-1938

William Henry “Bill” Smith (1937-1992)

1983-1992

D. H. Treleaven

1965-1969

Garson Nathaniel “Gerry” Vogel (1918-1981)

1964-1965

Advisory Committee (Canadian Wheat Board): 1940 to 1998

Committee Member

Address

Period

V. Althouse

Kelvington, SK

1974-1979

Roy R. Atkinson

Landis, SK

1965-1994

R. C. Brown

Pilot Mound

1942-1955

John Edward Brownlee (1883-1961)

Winnipeg

1955-1960

D. A. Campbell

Montreal, PQ

1940-1948

John Clair

Radisson, SK

1991-1998

Fred H. Clendenning

Vancouver, BC

1940-1955

Dan Cutforth

Barons, AB

1987-1998

H. A. Dechant

Fairview, AB

1979-1987

Derek Dewar

Hazlet, SK

1991-1998

Robert Russell “Russ” Emerson (1894-1987)

Winnipeg

1952-1955

Lee Erickson

Donalda, AB

1991-1994

Paul Farnalls

Halkirk, AB

1940-1955

Ken D. Galloway

Fort Saskatchewan, AB

1979-1991

C. W. Gibbings

Regina, SK

1960-1968

J. Harvey Gjesdal

Birch Hills, SK

1987-1991

A. P. Gleave

Biggar, SK

1957-1966

Michael G. W. Halyk

Melville, SK

1979-1998

C. P. Hansen

Saskatoon, SK

1955-1957

Terry L. Hanson

Fillmore, SK

1987-1998

Wilfred A. “Butch” Harder

Lowe Farm

1987-1998

G. L. Harrold

Lamont, AB

1957-1979

Mrs. E. C. Hartle

Leroy, SK

1971-1974

Charles Edward “Charlie” Hayles (c1885-1952)

Winnipeg

1947-1952

C. A. Hookenson

Kisbey, SK

1979-1987

Lew Hutchinson (?-1955)

Duhamel, AB

1940-1955

W. Dobson Lea

Jarvie, AB

1971-1979

Arthur W. Macklin

Grande Prairie, AB

1987-1998

Larry N. Maguire

Elgin

1987-1994

R. C. Marler

Edmonton, AB

1955-1957

J. A. McCowan

Summerberry, SK

1940-1955

Brad McDonald

Strathclair

1983-1987

Donald Gordon McKenzie (1887-1963)

Winnipeg

1940-1942

Ivan McMillan

Craik, SK

1971-1974

Rosario Messier

Ottawa, ON

1940-1943

D. Mitchell

Douglas

1974-1983

S. G. Mitchell

Dawson Creek, BC

1971-1974

E. Murphy

Estevan, SK

1974-1979

William Nicholson

?

1994-1998

J. C. A. Nijdam (?-1959)

Winnipeg

1948-1952

Lorne Edmund Parker (1927-1990)

Ste. Agathe

1971-1987

William James Parker (1896-1971)

Winnipeg

1955-1970

Lorne Pattison

Marshall, SK

1991-1998

Fred Pettypiece

Auld, ON

1940-1955

Gary Pike

Lloydminster, SK

1987-1991

A. W. Platt

Edmonton, AB

1957-1960

Ben Plumer

Calgary, AB

1955-1957

Robert Ponto

?

1994-1998

Kenneth A. “Ken” Powell (1898-1982)

Winnipeg

1952-1955

O. Reber

Burdett, AB

1974-1983

Rupert Cambourne Reece (1894-1951)

Winnipeg

1940-1946

Archibald Cumberland Reid (1889-1974)

Winnipeg

1940-1947

William Rosher

?

1994-1998

J. Theo Roy

Montreal, PQ

1943-1955

Alexander McInnes “Mac” Runciman (1914-2000)

Winnipeg

1960-1974

Avery K. Sahl

Mossbank, SK

1974-1991

Charles Gordon Smith (1902-1990)

Winnipeg

1946-1948

Harold Bertram Sneath (1914-1995)

Winnipeg

1970-1974

J. I. Stevens

Morinville, AB

1960-1972

Ted Strain

North Battleford, SK

1974-1987

C. F. Thurston

Bow Island, AB

1983-1987

E. K. Turner

Regina, SK

1968-1983

D. I. Walker

Toronto, ON

1948-1954

J. H. Wesson

Regina, SK

1940-1960

H. Yelland

Purcupine Plain, SK

1983-1987

Secretaries (Canadian Wheat Board)

Period

Secretary

1935-1937

Thomas William Grindley (1901-1969)

1937-1950

Clive B. Davidson (1902-1974)

1950-?

?

?-1965

Charles Edward Gordon Earl (1913-1995)

1965-?

Stanley Angus Hornby (1921-1986)

?-1970

?

1970-?

John E. McLaughlin

?-1985

?

1985-1986

John William White “Bill” Snell (1922-2010)

1986-1995

Lucille C. Evans

1995-1998

Margaret D. Redmond

Treasurers (Canadian Wheat Board)

Period

Treasurer

1966-1975

Peebles Kelly

c1985-c1990

David Olfert

Executive Directors (Canadian Wheat Board)

Executive Director

Type

Period

H. F. Bjarnason

?

c1985-?

Charles Edward Gordon Earl (1913-1995)

?

1965-1975

Robert A. Hamilton

?

c1990-?

Gordon P. Machej

?

c1985-c1990

Adrian Measner

Marketing

c1992-2002

Brian T. Oleson

Planning and Communication

c1986-?

David Olfert

Finance and Treasury

c1990-1995

Donald E. Vernon

?

1995-?

Pat A. Wallace

Human Resources

1994-

Presidents & Chief Executive Officers (Canadian Wheat Board / CWB / G3 Canada)

Period

President & CEO

1998-2002

Gregory S. “Greg” Arason

2003-2006

Adrian Measner

2006-2008

Gregory S. “Greg” Arason

2008-2015

Ian White

2015-2018

Karl Gerrand

2018-?

Don Chapman

Board Chairs (Canadian Wheat Board)

Period

Board Chair

1998-1999

?

1999-2009

Kenneth Rapheal “Ken” Ritter (1947-2011)

2010-2011

Allen Oberg

2013

Bruce Johnson

Directors (Canadian Wheat Board / CWB): 1998 to 2013

Director

Address

Period

Dwayne Anderson

 

2002-2006

Gregory S. “Greg” Arason

 

1998-?

David Carefoot

 

2007-2013

James Chatenay

Red Deer, AB

1998-2008

William Cheuk

 

2005-2007

John M. Clair

Radisson, SK

1998-2002

William Cooper

Foam Lake, SK

1998-?

Bonnie DuPont

 

2000-2006

Glen Findlay

 

2005-2013

Rod Flaman

 

2000-2011

Cam Goff

 

2009-2011

Michael Halyk

 

1998-2002

Terry Hanson

Fillmore, SK

1998-1999

Wilfred A. “Butch” Harder

Lowe Farm, MB

1998-2003

Betty-Ann Heggie

 

1998-2001

Larry Hill

Swift Current, SK

1998-2010

David A. Hilton

 

1998-2001

Bruce Johnson

 

2005-2012

Ross L. Keith

Regina, SK

1998-2006

Kyle Korneychuk

 

2006-2011

Arthur Macklin

Grande Prairie, AB

1998-2006

Ian McCreary

Bladworth, SK

1998-2008

Ken Motiuk

 

2005-2013

William "Bill" Nicholson

Shoal Lake, MB

1998-2008

Jeff Nielsen

 

2009-2011

Allen Oberg

 

2002-2010

V. Lynne Pearson

 

2002-2006

Kenneth Rapheal “Ken” Ritter (1947-2011)

Kindersley, SK

1998-2009

John Sandborn

 

2010-2011

James Stanford

 

1998-1999

Bill Toews

 

2004-2011

Henry Vos

 

2006-2011

Stewart Wells

 

2010-2011

Bill Woods

 

2009-2011

Edward Zinger

 

2002-2005

Executives

1998-1999 VPs: Ward Weisensel, Larry Nentwig, Brian White, Bob Harris, Bill Spafford, Jim McDonald, Tami Reynolds, Keith McMahon, Robert Roehle

2002-2003 VPs: Ward Weisensel (Marketing, as of 2003), Laurel Repski (HR), Earl Geddes (Farmer Relations), Gord Menzie (Finance), Margaret Redmond (Corporate Affairs), Deanna Allen (Comm & PR), Susan Wiklund (Country Operations), Graham Paul (Inf Tech Serv), Deborah Harri (Corporate Secretary), Brian White (Commodity Analysis & Risk Mgmt), Victor Jarjour (Strategic Planning & Policy), Brita Chell (Accounting), Jim McLandress (General Counsel), Larry Nentwig (Finance), Barry Horan (Director, Corporate Audit Services), Wendi Thiessen (Treasurer), Bill Spafford (Sales and Market Development), Dennis Portman (Transportation)

2003-2004: Ward Weisensel (COO), Gordon Menzie (CFO), Margaret Redmond (Corporate Services), Laurel Repski (VP, HR), Deanna Allen (VP, Corp Comm), Graham Paul (VP, Info Officer), Deborah Harri (Corp Sec), Victor Jarjour (VP, Strategic Planning & Corporate Policy), Brita Chell (Corporate Controller), Jim McLandress (General Counsel), Wendi Thiessen (Treasurer), William Spafford (VP Marketing), Earl Geddes (VP Farmer Relations & Operations), Gord Flaten (Director, Product Development & Marketing Support)

2005-2006: Ward Weisensel (COO), Brita Chell (CFO), Deanna Allen (VP, Farmer Relations & Public Affairs), Laurel Repski (VP, HR), Graham Paul (Chief Info Officer), Margaret Redmond (Chief Strategic Officer & Head of Corporate Services, left 2006)

2009-2010: Dave Burrows (VP, Comm & Govt Relations), Brita Chell (CFO), Deborah Harri (Corp Sec), Graham Paul (Chief Info Officer & VP Strategic Planning), Jim McLandress (General Counsel), Ward Weisensel (COO), Diane Wiesenthal (VP, People and Organizational Services), Earl Geddes (VP, Farmer Services, to Sep 2009)

2010-2011: Dave Burrows (VP, Farmer Relations & Public Affairs), Brita Chell (CFO), Graham Paul (CIO), Jim McLandress (General Counsel), Ward Weisensel (COO), Diane Wiesenthal (VP, People and Organizational Services), Deborah Harri (Corp Sec, retired Jul 2011)

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian Wheat Board Building (423 Main Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Canadian Wheat Board, Annual Reports, 1935-2010. [Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba]

Obituary [Thomas William Grindley], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 June 1969, page 33.

“Farmers pick CWB monopoly,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 December 1998, page 24.

“Vocal wheat board opponent elected chairman,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 June 1999, page 3.

Obituary [Charles Edward Gordon Earl], Winnipeg Free Press, 25 July 1999, page 21.

Obituary [John William White Snell], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 December 2010.

Obituary [Kenneth Rapheal Ritter], Kindersley Community Funeral Home & Crematorium.

G3 Global Grain Group completes investment in CWB,” CWB News Release, 31 July 2015.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 April 2022