Prairieland Welcomes Gavin Conacher

We are pleased to announce that Gavin Conacher has joined Prairieland as the Director, Business Development and Government Relations. Gavin was formerly the Vice President of Operations for World Trade Center Saskatoon; one of 322 such entities operating out of 93 countries worldwide. Gavin has an in-depth knowledge of the agriculture and food industry as well as other propulsive industry in the province having worked his entire career in finance, investment, and trade related work. This work has encompassed both the private sector, as well as the federal and provincial governments.

In his previous role, Gavin headed up the Province of Saskatchewan’s investment promotions and investment attraction activities and is familiar with many companies both in the province but also many looking at the province for investment and commercial engagement. Gavin has facilitated or participated in hundreds of trade or investment missions in or out of 41 countries. Gavin is well known across executive governments and crown corporations. Gavin also monitored expenditures and reporting from Saskatchewan Trade Export Partnership. Upon his exit, Gavin received the Premier’s Award of Excellence.

Prior to the provincial government Gavin was Deputy Director of Agriculture and Agrifood Canada’s Markets and Trade Branch working in collaboration with the Canadian Trade Commissioner’s Service as well as a role as Federal program manager managing federal programs in the region for Canada collectively exceeding $300M in program support to industry. Gavin received a Gold Harvest Award from the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and a Public Service Award of Canada for client focused service delivery while with the federal government.

One of Gavin’s roles in the private sector included heading up the Canadian Bison Association and representing its 1800 members across Canada. While there he worked with a board of directors and executive committee in what then was a new and emerging industry. Gavin started his career in the venture capital industry as Branch Manager and invested in companies such as World Wide Pork, Infraready, Popowich Milling, Ag Growth Industries, Batco, Big Quill Resources, Canadian Select Grains to name a few.

During his career Gavin has served on a number of boards and committees including; Saskatchewan Food Centre, Canada’s Farm Progress Show, Canadian Western Agribition, Co-Chair of Trade Team Saskatchewan, Federal Co-Chair of Growing Forward and more recently Advocacy Committee of the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, Advisor to Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority, Vice Chair of the Trade Service Management Action Committee of the World Trade Center Association. Gavin was born and raised on a mixed farm in Saskatchewan and was educated at the University of Saskatchewan and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics. He also holds diplomas in executive leadership from the University of Saskatchewan, the Public Service of Canada as well as the provincial government.

Please join us in welcoming Gavin to the Prairieland team!