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Over 225 SIMSA members met with over 40-Nutrien persons – for an entire day – at SIMSA’s Roundtable event with Nutrien on October 20, 2022!
This was the first in-person Roundtable with Nutrien – at almost 3-years to the day – as the last was October 15, 2019. At the 2019 event, SIMSA had just over 200 members. Currently, SIMSA has 322 members – up over 60% since the last in-person event with Nutrien. SIMSA now limits ticket sales, so the networking is effective. SIMSA’s growth is largely attributable to the cooperation they receive in events such as this – which all began with PotashCorp – now Nutrien.
As with all SIMSA Roundtable events, attendees from the producer company (Nutrien) are assigned seating individually at a banquet table of 6-persons for the day. Upon entry, SIMSA members can choose with whom they sit.
However, over half of the event time was spent in free-flow networking around the room, giving SIMSA members ample access to key Nutrien persons, and an opportunity to connect with fellow members.
Nutrien presented on capital and strategic plans, as well as Indigenous Inclusion. SIMSA presented their current work backlog and member sentiment and described what we need from Nutrien.
The event began with a high-level potash market overview from Larry Long, Snr VP Potash Operations, Potash.
Larry Long
Following Larry were Andrea Wacker – Senior Manager, Capital Procurement and Jeff Wagner – Director Capitol.
The event then flowed to SIMSA’s presentation. In preparation for the event, SIMSA surveyed its members to gather questions and build a snap-shot “state of the union” document. Then, at the event, to provide some context to what they heard from their engineering, construction, and fabrication membership – SIMSA shared the results and had a SIMSA Board member from each of those categories provide some context.
The panel consisted of:
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- Engineering – Ritu Malhotra from March Consulting
- Construction – Kohl Currie from Alana Construction
- Fabrication – Adam Logue from JNE Welding
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After lunch, Julie Ann Wriston – Manager, Supply Chain ED&I – presented on Nutrien’s Indigenous Engagement strategy and its impact.
Nutrien shared its presentation decks with attendees.
Josh Dodd, Director Procurement concluded the event. But more importantly, in addition to recruiting Nutrien staff for the event, he also is SIMSA’s contact and driver for the event’s-design – which saw at least half of the time set aside for people talking directly to each other – not just presenting. Josh has been SIMSA’s link for several years and has given generously of his time.
Event sponsors were Prairie Machine and Park Derochie Saskatchewan.
SIMSA’s Executive Director – Eric Anderson – stated that, “The event saw SIMSA fulfill its role as a communications bridge, building understanding between the supply chain and Nutrien. It also represents SIMSA’s simple focus – helping its member sell more stuff.”
| Nutrien persons who attended for the entire day: |
| Andrea Wacker |
| Sr. Manager, Capital Procurement – Potash |
| Chad Mudrik |
| Mill Engineering Manager – Allan |
| Claudia Haney |
| Director, Next Generation Potash |
| Cole Kehrig |
| Manager, Mine Automation |
| Dax Moen |
| Category Coordinator, Mining Equipment |
| Devon Powell |
| Capital Projects Manager – Rocanville |
| Fakhir Ansari |
| Sr. Project Engineer – Patience Lake |
| Gana Veszi |
| Advisor, Capital Procurement – ETC |
| Gina Seeraj Tylerbest |
| Mine Operations Superintendent – Rocanville |
| Jaime Aamodt |
| Sr. Manager, Operations Procurement – Lanigan |
| Jeff Wagner |
| Director, Capital and Technology – Potash |
| Jemeli Ennis |
| Manager, Capital Procurement – Rocanville |
| Jennifer Fehr |
| Sr. Advisor, Capital Procurement – Cory |
| Josh Dodd |
| Director, Procurement – Potash |
| Julie Ann Wriston |
| Manager, Supply Chain ED&I – Potash |
| Justin Boehm |
| Mill Maintenance Superintendent – Allan |
| Karen Siegfried |
| Advisor, Capital Procurement – Lanigan |
| Kiel Peterson |
| Mine Maintenance Superintendent – Allan |
| Larry Long |
| Sr. VP, Potash Operations |
| Leon Boehm |
| General Manager – Cory |
| Leslie Frehlich |
| General Manager – Allan |
| Luc Lessard |
| Electrical Engineer, Autonomous Mine Operations |
| Lyndsay Stobbs |
| Project Coordinator – Rocanville |
| Marcia Miller |
| Manager, Capital Procurement – Saskatoon Area |
| Pat McDonald |
| Mill Maintenance Superintendent – Rocanville |
| Penny Yeager |
| Sr. Council, Procurement |
| Phillip Riemer |
| Chief Mill Maintenance Engineer – Lanigan |
| Quinton Cloarec |
| Manager, Procurement – Cory |
| Rick Shiels |
| Sr. Category Manager, Potash Site Services |
| Rob King |
| General Manager – Patience Lake |
| Robert Jackson |
| General Manager – Lanigan |
| Roger Blain |
| Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Autonomous Mine Operations |
| Ross George |
| Maintenance Superintendent, Patience Lake |
| Scott Chambers |
| Sr. Capital Program Manager – Rocanville |
| Shannon Rhynold |
| General Manager – Rocanville |
| Sidney Squires |
| Category Manager, Mining Equipment |
| Trevor Berg |
| VP, Engineering, Technology & Capital – Potash |
| Trevor Cooney |
| Sr. Advisor, Capital Procurement – Vanscoy
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| Nutrien persons who “come and go” through the day: |
| Colin Staruiala |
| Manager, Procurement – Allan |
| John Sundquist |
| General Manager – Vanscoy |
| Lisa Mooney |
| Director, Strategic Inclusion |
The event Agenda was:
9:00 am – Opening remarks
9:15 am – Nutrien overview, plus operational and procurement plans
10:00 am – Quick break
10:15 am – SIMSA panel on “state of the supply chain”
10:45 am – Networking session
Noon – Lunch and networking
1:00 pm – Nutrien Supply Chain – Indigenous engagement strategy and impact
1:30 pm – Networking session
2:45 pm – Closing comments
3:00 pm – Networking session
4:00 pm – Close
SIMSA is a non-profit organization representing 323 Saskatchewan-based supplier-members, who provide goods and services to the industrial, mining, and energy sectors. SIMSA is currently the only organization that represents suppliers that have a physical presence in Saskatchewan, with most also having their global headquarters in the province. SIMSA’s membership represents well-over 32,000 employees in Saskatchewan and over $14-billlion in annual sales.
