Meet the people behind our passion

   Wade Barnes

• Award-winning business leader with an entrepreneurial spirit and deep agronomic roots.
• One of the Top 50 Most Influential People in Canadian Agriculture.
• Fifth-generation farmer; currently owns and operates his farm in Manitoba, Canada.
• Pioneered the commercial application of Variable Rate Technology to improve fertilizer use efficiency in Canada.
• Extensive experience in Canadian and global Ag and AgTech markets, including farmland and agriculture business due diligence.
• Proven track record of leveraging the distribution and sales of digitally enabled solutions resulting in multi-million-dollar revenue opportunities.
• Experienced in both public and private capital markets.
• Founder and previously CEO of Farmers Edge Inc., transforming the company from a local business to a publicly traded global leader in digital agriculture; raised over $500 million of equity financing to fund the company’s growth and expansion.

Trevor Armitage

• Accomplished ag professional and senior executive with over 16 years of leadership experience.
• Fourth-generation farmer; currently owns and operates his farm in Manitoba, Canada.
• Extensive background in performing farmland due diligence in both Canadian and international ag markets.
• Significant business experience in operational management, strategy execution, customer relationships, product support, and global partnerships.
• Previously held several roles within Farmers Edge Inc., including General Manager, Vice President of Operations, Head of Global Field Operations, and COO.

Lori Robidoux, CPA, CA

• Seasoned financial professional with over 35 years of experience in corporate finance, tax, mergers & acquisitions, and financial reporting.
• Strong background in agribusiness industry covering a broad range of matters related to business transactions, corporate finance, debt/equity financing, reorganizations, business management, and investment structures.
• Served as VP, Finance, and Investor Relations at a major publicly traded grain company for over 12 years.
• Former PwC partner and leader of its Canadian agribusiness practice.
• Served as CFO at Farmers Edge Inc. for over 6 years.

Jamie Yaskiw

• Accomplished international business professional with over 20 years of business development experience in Canadian and global capital markets.
• Significant hands-on experience in the areas of investment fund management, financial structuring, asset allocation, and business management.
• Founder and executive of several companies in the natural resource sector, including Brilliance Exploration, DiamondStar Gems, and Carats Investments Inc., where he played an integral role in driving sustainable growth and supporting multi-million-dollar operations.
• Previously held several roles within Wolverton Securities, including Senior VP – Portfolio Manager (CIM) and Senior VP – Head of Institutional Sales and Trading (Asia).
• Former Investment Advisor at Raymond James and Canaccord Financial.