Ashley Linden (M.Sc., B.Sc. Agriculture) has a passion for agriculture and food and is the Director of Quality & Regulatory Affairs at Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods.  With over 15-years of experience working in quality from seed to shelf, he has a track record of creating operational efficiencies, improving quality, and promoting sustainability throughout the industry.

Among the many great food options in Manitoba, you will often find him and his family enjoying a fresh cinnamon bun at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery.

Phillip Dunphy is a Chartered Professional Accountant working as the Director of Finance for Neptune Properties, a local family office. Part of his role involves sourcing and investing capital into food processing businesses such as Prairie West Ice Cream and True North Foods, where he acts as the Controller. He is passionate about seeing a thriving, sustainable, and profitable value-added food sector in the Province.

Phillip's favorite Manitoba meal is pierogies and bacon cooked over a campfire with his wife and kids.

Robert grew up in Toronto but has called Winnipeg home since 1987 when he came here to study sociology and psychology at the University of Winnipeg. He spent his early career with established Manitoba businesses such as Piston Ring Service and Pritchard Engineering before joining the senior management team at Pal Distributors in 2010. With his wife Cindy, he has three children ranging in age from 13 to 26. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, golf, home renovation and coaching youth sports. The local food scene in Winnipeg makes it impossible for him to pick one spot as his favorite but among his favorites are the Cioppino Soup at Bonfire Bistro and the Osso Bucco at Carne Italian Chophouse.

Michelle Leclair is the founder of Wolseley Kombuchua, Manitoba’s first local kombucha company, which prioritizes quality and taste in its health-conscious beverages. Leclair, a former healthcare professional, transitioned to full-time entrepreneurship, winning recognition as Women Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022. Wolseley Kombucha quickly became a trusted brand in the local industry, driven by Leclair's dedication and passion for bringing the benefits of kombucha to Manitobans.

One of the key strengths of Wolseley Kombucha is its strong commitment to supporting local businesses and communities. Over the years, Michelle has worked tirelessly to create partnerships with over 150 Manitoba retail partners, including well-known grocery stores such as Safeway, Sobeys, Red River COOP and Vita Health.

Beyond its dedication to producing high-quality kombucha, Wolseley Kombucha also prioritizes sustainability. Wolseley Kombucha launched their Sustainable Refill Program in 2017 that now has refill stations all over southern Manitoba. Implementing composting, refill programs and compostable single use cups is at the core of their values. 

Wolseley Kombucha continues to innovate and set the standard for quality in the industry. 

Keira is an associate at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP who practices in the areas of labour and employment law in unionized and non-unionized workplaces. Her practice is primarily focused on advising clients in various areas including: employment agreement and independent contractor agreement drafting and review, drafting employer policies and manuals, severance package drafting and negotiations, workplace safety and health matters, collective bargaining, employment standards, and human rights issues.

Keira is a self-proclaimed foodie who loves exploring Winnipeg’s diverse and delicious restaurant scene. Her favourite restaurant dishes are the Hokkaido scallop and peanut semifreddo from deer and almond.

Carly is a Red Seal Chef turned entrepreneur, who started Smak Dab in 2014. The company manufactures and wholesales their specialty mustards to grocery stores, specialty shops, and restaurants and over 300 locations across Canada. Her favourite restaurant dish is the Margherita Pizza and Buttermilk Panda Cotta from Vera Pizza.

Diego has been in the industry for over 30 years. He is a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Administration with Red River Polytech College. Currently, he is part of Winnipeg’s oldest chain restaurant, Salisbury House Restaurant of Canada Ltd as a Director of Operations/VP and Partner. Aside from his career, he enjoys being a father and husband. He’s coached hockey and soccer and still enjoys playing soccer as well. Diego and his wife enjoy their down time; when they go out, they love to support local and often dine at Prairies Edge in Kildonan Park.