March 25, 2021
Dear Members and Stakeholders,
The CSGA Board of Directors is pleased to announce Doug Miller’s appointment to Executive Director effective April 1, 2021. Doug, CSGA’s current CSGA Managing Director, Certification and Technology Services, will take over for Glyn Chancey, who is retiring after five years leading our organization. Additionally, Caroline Lafontaine will be assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The Board confirmed that Doug was the right leader for our Association through its due diligence of working with an Executive Placement Agency on an external leadership search. In choosing one of our own Managing Directors, the Board provides a sense of continuity to the Association while keeping an eye on the future.
Doug has been with us since 2011 and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of CSGA’s core certification system and the technology infrastructure that enables it. He has led CSGA’s digital transformation over the past eight years and has been staff lead on numerous CSGA Board of Directors Committees.
Members may not know that Doug holds an MBA with a Food and Agribusiness Specialization from the University of Guelph, a Biology degree, and an Advanced Project Management Certification from Stanford University. He also worked as a High Visibility Issues manager for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), acquiring field experience with their Seeds Program before joining CSGA.
Doug has been at the forefront of seed certification system modernization and digital transformation throughout his tenure domestically and internationally. He has held leadership positions within the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA), a leading U.S.-based international seed standards organization. He is currently one of two Global Region members on their Board of Directors.
With his extensive experience in seed certification and technology services, Doug will help CSGA strengthen its core service offerings, further our CSGA 2.0 renewal, and lead us through CFIA’s seed regulatory modernization plans.
“I am very excited to start this next phase of my career with CSGA. The Association and the pedigreed seed system in Canada have a promising future. The Canadian agriculture environment is changing faster than ever, and the time is right for a proactive, flexible, and efficient approach to serving it. Technology, coupled with a deep understanding of our members’ needs across our service offerings, will take us there,” says Doug.
I am also pleased to announce that with our view to creating a strong and agile leadership team, Caroline Lafontaine, our current Managing Director, Communications and Client Services, will move to the role of COO. Caroline has been with CSGA for 15 years working directly with members and our regional Branches and brings the seed grower’s voice to the leadership table. Caroline will leverage her experience to manage the daily operations of the Association, implement business strategies and procedures, and oversee the programs and services that support members and stakeholders.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to thank Glyn for his dedication to and leadership of the Association over the years. He has made a lasting difference in the Canadian seed sector. Glyn’s last day is March 31; however, he has kindly agreed to stay on in an advisor role until the end of May to help ensure a smooth and stable knowledge transfer.
The Board is eager to continue to work with the entire CSGA team, with Doug and Caroline leading the way. We are confident the Association is well-positioned to thrive for years to come under their guidance.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Joe Rennick
President
NOTE: A PDF of the news release is available here.
