Amy Grindheim, TechAg
Growing up on a mixed farm, Amy gained a great appreciation for the agricultural industry. Amy received her Crop Advisor Diploma from Olds College in 2003 and has experience in agronomy, sales, and management. Currently, Amy works with Simplot Grower Solutions as the Market Development Lead supporting the team with training on new innovations and products that enter the marketplace. She enjoys collaborating with her team to support the farms they work with to continue to be successful into the future.
Amy currently sits on the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists Council as the Technical Agrologist Representative.
Amy lives on a mixed farm near Hanley, SK with her husband and two boys. She loves to watch her boys do the things they enjoy, which include hockey, ball, and 4-H. Farming has always been a huge part of Amy’s life and she enjoys watching her boys grow up on their century family farm.
Specialty Areas: Agronomy, Sales, Leadership
Shelley Jones, BSA
Shelley is a proud AGvocate and is currently enjoying semi-retirement as a consultant. She is a certified facilitator of Appreciation at Work and develops and delivers training in the areas of client service, human resource management, and marketing. Shelley was elected to the 4-H Canada Board of Directors in 2021.
In her previous roles with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Shelley's work toward improving the public perception of agriculture led to the development and delivery of agriculture awareness, youth leadership, career promotion, and training programs under Growing Forward 2 and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. A few of her celebrated successes include the creation of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, the expanded reach of Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan, and the establishment of a Public Trust unit and agriculture program specialists across the province delivering Ministry programming and support to producers and amplifier groups.
Shelley is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture, and grew up on a ranch near Crane Valley, SK. She is also an active community volunteer and was recognized as Moose Jaw’s Citizen of the Year and awarded the Canada 150 and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals for her efforts.
Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Marketing, Board Governance, Public Speaking, Ag Education + Training, Public Trust
Adele Buettner
Founded 1993, AgriBiz Communications serves the management, marketing and communication needs of agricultural and food organizations with a local, provincial and national reach.
The success of AgriBiz is grounded in Adele’s leadership skills and natural diplomacy, her focus on collaboration, and an innate ability to problem solve. She has exceptional insight into board governance through her experience as a manager and senior executive, as well as serving on several boards including an executive member of Canadian Western Agribition and serving as President of Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation, SaskTel Centre and Agriculture in the Classroom (SK) Inc.
Adele is a passionate foodie and farm girl based in Saskatoon. She was raised on a mixed grain/beef operation east of Saskatoon and resided in that area until 2009. Today, Adele lives and works in Saskatoon while maintaining involvement in the family farm. Her daily life combines elements of urban and rural Saskatchewan.
Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Board Governance, Marketing, Communications, Public Trust
Penny McCall, MSc, PAg
Penny is truly passionate about agriculture in this province, and her roots are deep – being a farm girl herself. She is no longer active in the family farm but is proud to be a public servant and dedicated to her hard-working team that is helping build a vibrant crop sector in the province.
Penny is currently Assistant Deputy Minister of Regulatory and Innovation, and this is her fifth position within her 20+ year tenure with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Prior to this role, she was Executive Director of the Crops and Irrigation Branch.
Penny would be happy to work with you on finding your voice and using your passions to serve your purpose in whatever work you do.
Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Public Speaking, Public Trust
Trish Meyers, MSc
Trish started working in this wonderful agricultural community in 1996 after obtaining a master’s degree in Soil Science from the University of Saskatchewan. She started her career as an agronomist with Westco Fertilizers and Agricore United, and then moved onto a role with Monsanto as a DEKALB field agronomist and area sales manager.
She joined Federated Co-operatives in 2015 as the Knowledge and Innovation Manager, leading training and innovation projects in agronomy.
Trish and her husband have three awesome boys, and they’re involved in the farm at Melfort, SK. Aside from family and work, Trish also loves to run, cycle and play soccer.
Speciality Areas: Leadership, Management, Agronomy, Agribusiness
Karen Dow, BSA
Karen Dow graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agronomy. She grew up in Humboldt, SK and is very active in their family farm in Birch Hills. She began her career for Simplot Canada in 1987 in Regina, managing fertilizer sales for Southern Saskatchewan. Karen was the first female salesperson for fertilizer in North America. During this time, Karen and her husband helped farm her husband’s family farm.
In 1991, Karen moved to the Farm Debt Review Board as a field person in Southern Saskatchewan. In 1992, after moving to Grande Prairie, she remained a field person for the Farm Debt Review Board and began sitting as a board member in review files. In 1994, she began her 22-year career, working as a Territory Manager/ Business Representative with Cyanamid/BASF in and around Regina.
During this time, Karen was very involved with her children and volunteered as the President of Lakeridge School and sat on the Council of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists.
In 2005, Karen was awarded the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, honouring her for the efforts in non-profit organizations. In 2015, after retiring from BASF, Karen became a co-owner in a Western Ag business in North East Saskatchewan. From 2015 to date, Karen has worked with Blair’s Family of Companies and is the Sales Director of North Saskatchewan, where she manages salespeople within the five northern locations. Karen’s passion has always been helping farmers understand the ever-changing technologies to grow the best crops possible.
Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Board Governance, Ag Tech, Marketing + Sales