Convention Update
Even though the 45th AMC Convention and Trade Show is still a little ways away, we have been busy arranging speakers, securing sponsorships and booking trade show booths. We have received a lot of positive feedback on having the convention and trade show held away from the CFPS and anticipate having a great turn out. We have already sold over half of our trade show booths, and have a number of first-time exhibitors. If you are considering having a booth at the trade show, please let us know as soon as possible as we anticipate it being a sellout! The deadline for securing your booth space is November 2.
As for the convention itself, Wednesday evening will start with registration starting at 5 p.m. and continue with an informal reception. We will be broadcasting the hockey game during the reception as the Winnipeg Jets host the Toronto Maple Leafs that evening.
Thursday will be a jam-packed day! We are very excited to have Allen Rider as our keynote speaker. Raised on a family farm in northeastern Colorado, Allen has been associated with agriculture and equipment almost his entire life. During the last decade, he has worked as a business consultant and served on a variety of corporate boards. Immediately prior, he worked for New Holland for nearly 25 years serving in a variety of management roles in product engineering, manufacturing and sales and marketing before retiring from his role as president of New Holland North America, CNH, in January 2004. During the 1970s, he was on the Agricultural Engineering faculty at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and Oklahoma State University. He has a BSc and MSc in agricultural engineering from Colorado State University, and a PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana.
The morning will also include the AGM, where we will be introducing AMC’s new strategic plan. AMC recently asked members what they like about AMC and where they would like to see change, and we have been speaking with members personally during industry tours. With this feedback, we have created a plan that will improve the value that AMC provides our members. We are very excited about our new direction and look forward to presenting AMC’s strategic plan to you.
Our luncheon speaker will be the Honorable Kevin Chief, Manitoba Minister of Jobs and the Economy. Growing up in Winnipeg’s North End, Minister Chief quickly learned to spot people who could see potential where others might only see hardship. He is always looking to learn from the experience and ideas of people who have overcome adversity and want to help others do the same.
In the afternoon, we have Peter Miller, managing director with KPMG. Peter is a corporate finance professional experienced in M&A, divestitures, business valuations, fairness opinions and debt and equity private placements. He has directed corporate finance mandates, including advising independent committees of boards of directors, in a broad array of industries, including the grain and agricultural, manufacturing and distribution, food processing, financial services, consumer products and utility sectors. He has advised the Canadian Wheat Board of its business strategy and business valuation matters following the enactment of Bill C-18, and was also concurring partner on the Fairness Opinion provided by KPMG Australia to the ABB Grain Limited board of directors in connection with Viterra Inc.’s acquisition of ABB. He has advised the purchases and sales of private and family-owned ag equipment/implement manufacturing companies, ag equipment dealerships, tier I ag OEM suppliers and crop input companies.
We are still finalizing plans for the rest of the afternoon’s speaker sessions. We will have a speaker from Westest, as well as a representative from the welding industry. The details of the remaining speaker sessions will be up on the AMC website shortly.
After some spare time to check out the trade show, we will have dinner and be entertained by comedian Big Daddy Tazz! Now based in Winnipeg, Tazz grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. He has been seen and heard on TV specials and radio, has performed in a number of comedy festivals across Canada, and holds the record for longest continuous stand-up comedy. For a sneak peek of his act, visit his site at www.bigdaddytazz.com.
On Friday, we will be getting on the bus to tour two of our members’ facilities. First we will head to Buhler, which has kindly offered to provide lunch. We will then continue on to MacDon. The day will wind up by 2 p.m.
AMC would like to thank its sponsors for their generous support of the convention. This year, we are offering different sponsorship packages that enable members to sponsor a specific component of the convention. There are still sponsorship opportunities available.
If you haven’t yet registered for the convention or secured your trade show booth, please do so at www.a-m-c.ca. There are links to the registration form, hotel reservation site, trade show floor map and sponsorship form. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Shannon Bachorick at 306-522-2710 x 224 or shannon@a-m-c.ca.
AMC can’t wait to see you at convention in Winnipeg this December!
Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada