Leadership Team
As one of Canada's largest and most dynamic co-operatives, UFA is invested in our members, our customers and the communities we serve. We share the same values, face the same challenges and celebrate when the job is done. Our senior leadership team brings a wealth of knowledge to UFA, including valuable experience working on farms and ranches, within co-operative environments and in public and private businesses, both nationally and internationally. Together, we are building a bright future and a stronger UFA.
Scott Bolton
President & Chief Executive Officer
Scott Bolton
President & Chief Executive Officer
"We are a historical organization whose roots run deep in this province and yet we are progressive and innovative and in an enviable position, poised to add great value for our membership."
Scott Bolton currently holds the role of President & Chief Executive officer at UFA. Scott joined the Calgary based Co-operative in 2014 and prior to his appointment held the position of Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to UFA, Scott spent his career at PwC where he was Partner in charge of the Alberta consulting practice and National Energy Leader. Scott's industry experience covers the agriculture, oil and gas and mining sectors. Originally from Edmonton, Scott has experience working in Europe and the US. He is a well-rounded leader with a long track record of results.
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Don Smith
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Don Smith
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
"We have an incredibly powerful platform for growth at UFA. We will continue to use our touchstones of adding value to our members, maintaining discipline and focus in our business decisions, and developing the horsepower we bring to bear through our employees and agents. Our co-operative has tremendous potential."
Don spent 24 years working for Suncor Energy where he gained extensive experience in many facets of the oil industry, including crude oil supply and logistics, strategic planning, refined product trading, risk management and hedging strategy, terminal and distribution operations, sales and marketing and refined product supply.
Since 2015, Don has led the UFA Petroleum team who provides the highest quality fuels, lubricant, and associated products and services to our members and customers. UFA's Engineering, Environment, Health and Safety teams all fall under Don's leadership as well. His team also includes Bar W, using the Bar W and All Peace Petroleum brands, which provide downstream petroleum maintenance and construction services along with being one of the leading tank rental and sales companies in Alberta.
Don is also leading UFA's foray into the world of ag-tech Innovation. Exploring innovative technologies, processes, and methodologies from around the world as well as domestically, UFA Innovation seeks to drive efficiency and sustainability for the Co-operative and its farmer rancher members. A new portfolio for UFA, Sustainability, reflects a balanced approach within the scope of ESG, furthering our commitment to our environment, communities, customers and members.
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Fred Thun
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Fred Thun
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
"An historical agricultural co-operative is like no other business. As leaders we must maneuver variables beyond our control, be adaptable to fast moving technology and honour century old values. It's critical that with every decision, we operate with complete transparency, be fact-based and uphold co-operative principals."
Fred joined UFA in 2020 as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining UFA, Fred was the Senior Vice President, Finance and previously Interim Chief Financial Officer at Nutrien Ltd. Fred spent a total of fifteen years with Nutrien and its predecessor, Agrium, in progressive leadership roles, ultimately overseeing global finance operations in the agriculture, mining and manufacturing sectors and participating in significant M&A and integration activities. His career also includes experience in the commodity chemical and professional service industries through roles at NOVA Chemicals and Deloitte. Fred was raised on a mixed farm near Kerrobert, Saskatchewan and has spent most of his career in the agriculture industry. He has a strong appreciation for Canadian farmers and the critical role they play in ensuring the stability of the global food supply. Fred is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with Great Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan.
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Bob Fink
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Bob Fink
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
"The recipe for a successful team includes having the right talent in the right places and fostering an environment based on trust, respect, accountability and reward for performance. As an organization, we want to create a culture where people may be enticed to leave, but choose not to."
Bob is a lawyer with over 20 years of legal experience in private practice as well as for large corporations. He has proven leadership skills, having led the Human Resources, Privacy and Compliance, Corporate Secretarial, Land, Procurement and Legal functions for various public companies. His experience includes Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Human Resources at Parkland Fuel Corporation, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at FortisAlberta Inc.,
Bob has his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina, his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Toronto, and his Master of Law degree from Osgoode Hall at York University.
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Lisa Kissick
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer
Lisa Kissick
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer
"Technology is about enabling business strategy and supporting both our internal and external customers in achieving their goals. My focus is understanding the business opportunity, then figuring out how we can achieve the business outcome. The technical tools are only part of the solution; how the tools are used also determine the business outcomes."
Lisa grew up on a century farm near Melville, Saskatchewan and her rural roots run deep; however, she brings a wealth of international experience leading complex, transformative projects and technology on a global scale.
She has more than 20 years of progressive experience with a demonstrated history of working in both manufacturing and construction industries. Lisa has a passion for continuous improvement and transformation. She is skilled in technology transformation, business process improvement, team building, ERP implementations and project management.
Prior to joining UFA, Lisa was the Vice President, IT & Enterprise Applications for Graham Group. Her experience also includes Vice President, IT & Business Processes, Armtec; SAP Project Director, UK & Ireland, Saint-Gobain; and European Director, Information Systems, BPB.
Lisa obtained her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and she is looking forward to driving technological advancements at UFA that ultimately improve the customer experience.
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Steve Kovacs
Chief Sales Officer
Steve Kovacs
Chief Sales Officer
"The membership number is just the start, I believe in building trust and creating relationships that are long-term. Many corporations are driven toward quick returns, but in the ag industry, and especially in a co-operative, you need to be focused on the long-term impacts for your customers. Just like many family farms are multi-generational and the decisions made today carry into the future; we also need to make decisions that have positive impacts for generations to come."
Steve Kovacs is a tenured executive with strong senior leadership experience, most recently as the Vice President at Parkland Corporation. He has a keen understanding of the agricultural industry, having spent almost 15 years with Nutrien (formerly Agrium); and he is no stranger to UFA. In 2020, he contracted at the co-operative for several months as an advisor to the Chief Financial Officer.
Steve has a history of structuring complex financial deals, but he has sales and marketing experience in both the petroleum and ag industries and, most importantly, a keen understanding of what drives markets and customers. He is known for focusing on the long goal with a reputation as a respected leader who flexes easily between strategy and operations, business development and finance.
Steve was born and raised in Regina, and as a young man, he had the opportunity to work on a mixed farm, where he first developed a passion for agriculture. He received his Bachelor of Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of Regina and holds Certified Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator designations.
Today, Kovacs makes his home in Calgary, Alberta, where he lives with his wife, Robyn, and their two boys, Eric and Andrew. In his spare time, he plays hockey, although he jokes that it's a long way from being competitive.
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Glenn Bingley
Vice President, AgriBusiness & Supply Chain
Glenn Bingley
Vice President, AgriBusiness & Supply Chain
"Putting our members and customers first is critical to our success as a co-operative. Building strong relationships in the communities we serve, will guide how we do business, both now, and in the future."
Glenn Bingley joined UFA after 17 years with Home Depot, where his career progressed from the store floor to vice-president of merchandising. With a proven ability to translate strong customer relationships into bottom line results, Glenn understands that success begins and ends with the customer. Glenn brings over 40 years of retail and supply chain experience to our Co-operative, and leads the Agribusiness Team with a focus on strengthening fundamentals for UFA, protecting and growing market share in a highly competitive environment, and building stronger relationships with customers and UFA members.
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Jennifer Beatty
Senior Director, Human Resources
Jennifer Beatty
Senior Director, Human Resources
Jennifer Beatty is an accomplished Human Resources professional whose depth and breadth of experience are unparalleled. As the Senior Director of Human Resources at UFA, Jennifer works across portfolios to develop and implement an overall employee-focused vision that supports a consistent approach to wellness; nurtures learning and development; ensures inclusive practices in recruitment, hiring, promotion and retention; and supports a workplace culture that reflects the core values of UFA.
Jennifer is widely respected across the co-operative as a gifted leader and strong advocate for employees. Over the course of her 14-year tenure at UFA, Jennifer has overseen HR strategy, change management initiatives, organizational development, total rewards and engagement strategies for UFA's corporate, enterprise and cross-functional employees, and served as the lead HR business partner to the co-operative's senior leadership team. She provides strategic leadership in the planning and implementation of quality-based, integrated human resources programs and her demonstrated approach to large-scale change and complex organizational transformation is with steadfast composure.
Jennifer has a Masters of Business Administration specializing in Human Resources from the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Jennifer lives in Calgary with her husband and two young children and in her spare time enjoys mountain biking.
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