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The Board of Directors is comprised of key individuals with expertise in a variety of industries and experience in the Saskatchewan business environment.

Grant Kook 2,3,4 is President, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Manager, as well as the co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cheung On, an international investor syndicated fund. Mr. Kook is the current Chairman of SaskTel, the USask Properties Investment Inc. and is a member of the Investment Committee for the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation pension fund. Mr. Kook also served as Chairman of Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman of the Saskatchewan Health Authority and as a director of 3sHealth Shared Services Saskatchewan. Mr. Kook was a Vice President of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) and past Chairman of the Board of the Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan. In addition, he was the Chair of the 2013 and 2014 CIS University Cup Men's Hockey Championship, and a founding board member of the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame. Mr. Kook is the recipient of the 2013 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, as well as the recipient of the 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan), Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012, and the Commemorative Medal of the Centennial of Saskatchewan, 2005. He is the recipient of the 2014 Saskatoon Tourism Leadership award and has been recognized as the 2013 Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur Award for Community Involvement, the 2013 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Volunteer of the Year Award, the 2008 B'nai Brith – We Are Proud of You Award. He has earned the Chartered Director Designation (C. Dir.) from McMaster University DeGroote School of Business.
Kenneth Juba 1 was a founding partner in Creative Fire, a full-service communication agency that delivers branding, marketing and public/investor relations support to a broad range of global, national and provincial corporations. After 20 years of entrepreneurship and business leadership, he completed the sale of Creative Fire and, since 2020, has operated as the Principal of Firestorm Holdings Ltd., delivering management consulting and communication advice to a number of enterprises. Prior to consulting, Mr. Juba was the Business Editor/Columnist at The Saskatoon Star Phoenix and developed a depth of knowledge of Canada’s resource, agriculture and technology sectors, as well as the businesses that support these industries. Mr. Juba currently serves on the Board of Agrivita Canada Inc., a research organization focused on the science of agricultural health and safety and its effective transfer to industry. An active member of the community, he has been involved with numerous volunteer initiatives and been a member of the board of the Saskatoon Community Foundation as well as the Huskie Athletics Board of Trustees at the University of Saskatchewan.
The Honourable William (Bill) McKnight P.C. 2,4 been a Director of Star Mineral Group since May 2013, and Chairman of McKnight and Associates, a Canadian firm of consultants that specializes in domestic and international strategic planning and promotion since 1993. He served as Chairman and Lead Director of Cline Mining Corporation from 2005 to April 2013 and as the Treaty Commissioner for the Province of Saskatchewan from 2007 to 2012, appointed and mandated by Canada and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations to assist with Treaty implementation. The Honourable Bill McKnight resigned as a Member of Parliament in July of 1993 after serving Canada in that capacity since 1979. Nine of his fifteen years as a Member of Parliament were as a Senior Cabinet Minister holding the following positions: Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of National Defense, Minister of Western Economic Diversification, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Minister of Labour and Housing. The Honourable Bill McKnight is a director of a number of private and publicly traded companies involved in the investment, development, manufacturing and trade areas, and Honourary Chief of the Muskeg Cree Nation.
Brian Barber 1,3,4 has served the construction industry in his home province of Saskatchewan for over thirty years. Currently he is the Senior Vice President, Prairies with Ledcor Construction Limited, a leading North American, privately held, employee-owned collection of construction companies. Brian has played a key role in the management and development of a wide range of projects throughout Saskatchewan. He has extensive purchasing and procurement experience earned through his years of business management. Mr. Barber has developed a unique perspective in planning, building design and construction in a variety of commercial, community and institutional projects throughout Saskatchewan. Mr. Barber holds the Gold Seal Certification in Project Management - General Contracting and has been involved in numerous organizations including the General Contractors Association of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Construction Association. Mr. Barber is active in many civic interests including the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Mr. Barber is currently active in the following organizations:
  • 3s Health – Chairman
  • 3s Health Board of Trustees Benefits – Trustee
  • Golden Opportunities Fund – Chairman
  • Canadian Automobile Association – Chairman
  • Xperigo – Board Member
  • Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board – Member
  • Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association - Director
Lorraine Sali 3,4 was the elected Business Manager of the Construction and General Workers Union, Local 180 from 2001 to 2020, she is currently a Special Representative of Local 180 and is semi-retired. The Construction and General Workers Union, Local 180 is the proud sponsor of the Golden Opportunities Fund. Ms. Sali joined the Construction and General Workers Union, Local 180 in 1987. She is Chairperson of the Labourers’ Health & Welfare Trust Fund of Western Canada, she is a trustee on the Saskatchewan Training Trust Fund and Labourers Pension Trust Fund of Western Canada. Ms. Sali is an active Trade Board Member for the Construction Craft Labourer Trade and is a panel member at the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board representing Employees. She was a member of the Workers Compensation Board Committee of Review for the years 2006, 2010 and 2015 representing organized Labour.
Ron Waldman 2 is the Founder and Principal of Keystone Consulting Inc., a family office and business advisory firm operating more than five years. Since May 2002, Mr. Waldman has been an active Partner in Northstar Group of Companies, a leading Kootenays BC resort operator, vacation marketer, property manager and real estate trader. Ron was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saskatoon Airport Authority from 2012 to 2014 and served as a Director from 2005 to 2014. He was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Great Western Brewing Company Limited from 2011 to 2012, and from 1994 to 2010 he held the position of Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure with Great Western Brewing Company Limited, the company was chosen as a Platinum 50 Best Managed Company in Canada. Prior, Mr. Waldman practiced corporate finance with KPMG Saskatoon and held several positions with the Saskatchewan based, family owned, Coca-Cola franchise bottling business, Beverage Central Inc. including: President and Chief Executive Officer from 1987 until 1991. Mr. Waldman is a holder of the Institute of Corporate - 58 - Directors Director designation and is currently a Director of several for profit and not for profit organizations including: (acting) Chair of Motherlabs, SGI Canada, Wanuskewin World Heritage UNESCO Campaign and is a Partner and Director of Great Western Brewing Holdings Limited. Ron was also a past Chair and Director of the Royal University Hospital Foundation and a past Director of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. Ron is the recipient of the commemorative medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan and recipient of the 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal. He was also recognized in 2005 as one of the Provinces Most Influential Men by Saskatchewan Business Magazine.
Catherine Gryba 4 ICD.D, is the Owner of CRG Strategies, a management consulting firm specializing in board governance, strategy, and CEO/Board relations. Prior to joining private sector consulting in 2017, she worked for the City of Saskatoon for 34 years, culminating her career in a senior executive role as General Manager for Corporate Performance. Catherine has served on many Boards and is currently the Board Chair for Saskatchewan Mutual Insurance and serves on the Board of the Nutrien Wonderhub (Past Chair), the Board of Trustees for the University of Saskatchewan Huskie Athletics, and the Canada Games Foundation. Catherine is the Co-Chair of the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors and is the Academic Director and Lead Instructor for the Institute of Corporate Directors National Course on Chairing Boards.
James Salamon 1 is a chartered professional accountant in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and has been involved in public accounting in Saskatoon and Regina for over 30 years. Mr. Salamon is involved in all areas of financial statement preparation and income tax planning and compliance for clients in a wide variety of industries and professions throughout western Canada. Mr. Salamon is actively involved in a number of professional and community organizations including past and present positions with the Canadian and Saskatchewan Institutes of Chartered Accountants/Chartered Professional Accountants and board and executive positions with Junior Achievement of Saskatoon and Saskatchewan, Family Service Saskatoon, Saskatoon Co-op Association and Riverside Country Club. In 2004, Mr. Salamon was made a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan in recognition of his service to the profession and the community.
Murad Al-Katib

President, CEO and Board member of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. An international agri-food commodity trading strategic business and financial thinker, Murad founded AGT Foods in 2001, building a Canadian start-up into a global billion-dollar value-added pulses, staple foods and ingredient company. Murad serves as one of ten advisors to the Government of Canada on the Industry Strategy Council, convened to advise the Government of Canada on the Post Covid 19 Industrial Strategy for the country. He is also Chair of the Government of Canada National Agri-Food Strategy Roundtable. Other Board appointments include Chair of the Canadian Special Crops Association, Economic Development Regina, Protein Industries Canada, Plant Based Foods of Canada and Pulse Canada and a number of Canadian Government advisory boards and panels. Murad has been a passionate advocate of entrepreneurs, championing compassionate entrepreneurism and working to expand female, youth and First Nations participation in business startups, advocating the role of entrepreneurs in driving social change and innovation in the new global economy. Murad is a seasoned player in the Canadian capital markets including leading both the go public AGT transaction in 2007 and leading the capital markets strategy for the company to scale from $40 million in revenue to approximately $2 billion and led the privatization transaction in 2019 in a partnership with Fairfax Financial Holdings. Murad also actively organized a $625 million 9 bank syndication from AGT and led the issuance of $200 million in unsecured notes for AGT. Murad’s awards include the Globe and Mail CEO Innovator of the Year in 2020, Canadian Western Agribition’s List of the 50 Most Influential People in Agriculture, the 2021 Business Leader of the Year by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, 2017 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, a U of R Honorary Degree, 2017 “Oslo Business for Peace” Honoree, 2017 EY “World Entrepreneur of the Year”, 2016 UN Association of Canada “Global Citizen Laureate”, PROFITGuide Magazine’s “30 Most Fabulous Entrepreneurs of the Past 30 Years” list, Globe & Mail “Canada’s Top 40 under 40” and the Western Producer “44 Innovators Who Shaped Prairie Agriculture”.

1Member of Audit Committee
2Member of Valuation Committee
3Member of Investment Committee
4Member of Governance and Nomination Committee

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