b'WHY CHRIS CHURKOLIVES IN THE GREYThe new CEO of FP Genetics says making confident decisions in the face of uncertainty is the key to surviving in todays business world. Marc ZienkiewiczCHRIS CHURKO CAN BE described as a lotcompany. After eight years in that sector of of things: Husband, father, son, angler,the industry, my daughter was born, and I hobby farmer, introvert. As a self-describeddecided to make a change to improve the softie, he doesnt mind admitting hes a bigwork/life balance at a time I felt I needed to Hallmark movie fan. We sat down with thebe around a little more with my new family. new chief executive officer for FP Genetics toSo, I accepted a position as a relationship find out his secrets to climbing the corporatemanager with Farm Credit Canada, focused ladder and why sometimes you have to takeon land and equipment lending in south-something apart in order to make it stronger.west Saskatchewan. After a few years I really started to miss the connection to farmers Who is Chris Churko? and crop production I had previously and I was born and raised in a largeaccepted the cereal seed product managerEducation: Saskatchewan family. Im the youngest of sixposition with Viterra in 2009. Since then, IveUniversity of kids. Ive been married for 20 yearswebeen hooked on the cereal seed business.Saskatchewanhave one daughter who is 17. Ill be an emptyFollowing the sale of the Viterra AgriproductsIntrovert or nester soon, which is a bittersweet change forbusiness to Nutrien, I moved over to AllianceExtrovert?me. Im excited for her to take the next stepSeed as the general manager, which bringsIntrovertin her life, but it will mean some quiet daysme to todayrecently joining FP Genetics around home. Im also a weekend farmer. Ias the CEO. No two days are ever the same,Favourite hangout:farm with one of my brothers near Yorkton,always new challenges to tackle, and Im partThe garageSask., on a half-section my grandparentsof a community of people that are a pleasure originally settled on. My wife calls me a tink- to work with every day. Future focus: erer. If I cant find some project to work onThe better the variety in my free time, Ill usually end up breakingWhats something few people know or seed quality, the something just so I can fix it.about you? more opportunity a My wife says Im a softie. Im the guy whofarmer finds in the grain How did you end up in the seed industry? watches the Hallmark movies to the pointmarket as a result of improved production I attended the University of Saskatchewanwhere I embarrass my wife and daughter and be it yield or quality. and obtained a degree in agricultural biol- end up on the receiving end of a few good- Thats the goal.ogy. I always thought Id end up in researchnatured jokes. But who doesnt like a happy somewhere, but fate had other plans. I startedending? Im a bit of an introvert. As much as I my career managing an ag retail operationlike being front-and-centre at work, I like my in northern Saskatchewan, and later movedquiet time when I clock out for the dayto managing a grain elevator with the samethe garage is my favourite place to hang out.38GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2020'