Brent Collins has become known as a strategic visionary with a knack for anticipating market needs and responding with innovative solutions. Under his leadership as head of seeds and traits for BASF Canada, the company has launched numerous groundbreaking products that have revolutionized modern farming.
His ability to fuse scientific innovation with practical application has earned him a reputation as a dynamic leader who is always one step ahead of the curve. You might say that makes him the perfect person to take the reins as president of Seeds Canada, which he recently did during its annual meeting in Edmonton, Alta.
There are two main areas of focus that Seeds Canada is gearing up for, and Collins will lead it through them. Firstly, the organization is preparing to review its strategic plan this fall, something it last undertook three years ago when it was established.
“Like most organizations, revisiting the strategic plan is essential to ensure that our compass is still pointed in the right direction,” Collins says. “This review is an exciting opportunity to reassess our goals and strategies.”
Secondly, his focus as president will be on ensuring value for membership, and that means having thoughtful conversations that can sometimes require leaders like himself to ask themselves tough questions.
So, what does that entail? Engagement and feeling heard are crucial, Collins said. There are many important topics on the horizon for Seeds Canada’s members, and it’s vital that members feel they are contributing, being consulted, and actively involved in shaping the future of the organization.
“From the beginning, we’ve committed to making sure our members feel that their membership is worthwhile. We’ll be taking another look at this to confirm that we’re providing the leadership, direction, and benefits that our members expect and need,” he says.
Seeds Canada Past-President Ellen Sparry says Collins is an ideal person to help do that.
“Brent’s forward-thinking approach will serve Seeds Canada well as we move forward,” says Sparry, general manager for Ontario’s C&M Seeds. She served as Seeds Canada president for three years before passing the torch to Collins in Edmonton in July.
“He’s always encouraging us to push the boundaries of what’s possible and explore new ways to improve ourselves as an organization that celebrated our third anniversary earlier this year. As a relatively new organization, we need people like him to help steer us in the right direction and ensure our members feel like they get value.”
However, there’s always room for improvement. One area where Seeds Canada can do better is in gaining alignment and ensuring it gathers comprehensive input from members, Collins adds.
“Achieving consensus in the business world can be challenging, but it’s essential for us to present solutions that truly benefit the seed industry. We will continue to focus on this to enhance our decision-making and strategy implementation.”
