We do not stop at “big picture” thinking. We provide you with the action plan you need to implement and achieve
your goals; from a clear and concise strategy, to a list of action items and help to bring them to life. At synthesis we close the gap between your vision and reality.
We can assist your organization in developing the strategic direction needed to reach your long term business objectives and provide a detailed business plan to help make it happen.
Using our industry insights and by researching your market, we will unearth and evaluate business opportunities for your organization. Then, we will provide tactical solutions to capitalize on the opportunities.
Let us assist you in developing strategic planning, visioning or sales training sessions with your internal teams and key stakeholders.
Working with our partners, we can help you manage issues and communicate effectively. Synthesis can help you develop strategy and then deliver key messages using a wide range of tactics.
“You just never know where you'll find insight. You really have to look everywhere to find the nuggets. Then the key is turning the insight into something that can be implemented.“
Rob Hannam understands your business. He has been an active member of the agriculture community his entire life. Rob’s passion for the agri-food sector began while growing up on a large farm operation and has developed to most recently running a successful consulting business with local, national and international clients. Rob has real life, practical experience and has a proven background in providing strategic business insights, communications strategies and issues management advice to his clients. Facilitating strategic planning sessions and consensus building with Boards and management teams is his specialty.
Rob’s career began with First Line Seeds, where he played an integral role in moving First Line to a top market share position in Eastern Canada. He launched NutriLine, a food soybean export business that utilized an identity preserved production system to serve food customers in North America and Asia. Moving to Monsanto, Rob worked as their Eastern Canada Commercial Lead before leading the marketing effort for their soybean product line across the Midwest and Northeastern US.
In 2004, Rob joined AdFarm, a marketing communications agency, as team lead of their eastern Canada operation. As an extension of AdFarm, Rob formed Issues & Insights in 2007. Focused on consulting, Issues & Insights provided strategic counsel and issues management support for organizations in agriculture, food and the bio-economy sectors. In June 2009, Issues & Insights became Synthesis Agri-Food Consulting. Following 20 years of experience, Rob has cultivated a network of knowledge in the industry and is trusted for his business insights and practical approach.
Account Manager
“Working with people who share your passion for agriculture makes all the difference.“
The family farm gave Heidi her start in the world of agriculture. From there, she went on to the University of Manitoba to earn her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, specializing in agronomy.
Heidi’s consulting experience has concentrated on issues management and communications in the agribusiness sector. Focus areas include food, seed, crop inputs, animal agriculture and research. She has expertise in developing and delivering communications plans, marketing strategy, corporate identity and communications tools as well as a variety of public relations activities. As well, Heidi has worked on market analysis and customer profiling projects for companies considering entering or expanding in the Canadian agribusiness sector.
Prior to Heidi’s consulting role, she gained a variety of experience in sales and marketing in the seed and crop protection sectors, and in managing editorial, production, and promotion of several leading agriculture and agri-food industry publications.
Strategic Consultant
“Managing is like an orchestra conductor who assures all parts of the orchestra work in unison. When the music is played, you hear the music not the conductor. For a well managed company, you see the profit.”
Julien is well known as a change agent for all companies he has managed. Born in Belgium, Julien emigrated to Canada and grew up on the family farm near Woodstock, Ontario. Even as a youngster on the farm, he was always on the lookout for how things could be improved.
The desire to contribute to positive change led him into a global agricultural career, working in over 40 countries in senior management positions for companies such as York Farms and Shur-Gain (Canada Packers), Ralston Purina, Bicks Pickles (International Multifoods), Hybrid Turkeys (B.P. Nutrition), Norbest Inc, United Breeders (Semex) and Ontario Pork. For Julien, improving the performance of companies means focusing on making organizations more market- and client-driven, as well as making certain both human resources and the organizational culture aspects unique to each organization are well managed.
Julien has served as a volunteer in many community based organizations, sitting on the Boards of the Oktoberfest in Kitchener, the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program, the Foundation for Rural Living and Libro Financial. In 2001 the Ontario Institute of Agrologists asked him to serve as Resident Agrologist at the University of Guelph.
Consultant
“Feet on the ground, head above the clouds, nose to the grindstone, eye on the ball... Unless you're a contortionist, you often need someone to help you out. Our job is to keep our clients from getting bent out of shape and to help them focus on what matters most. ”
With a Master of Science degree in Agriculture Economics, extensive commercial agri-finance experience with RBC Royal Bank, policy development and the formation of a Business Intelligence Unit for Ontario Pork, Mary Lou is well-equipped to quickly assess challenges and provide solutions for clients.
She is a veteran of tackling international trade issues, having successfully managed a business response to both an anti-dumping and countervail case launched by the United States as well as legislative challenges that affect market access. Mary Lou’s work for both not-for-profits as well as commercial business provides her with the background to work with commodity organizations as well as commercial companies.
Mary Lou pays tribute to growing up on the family dairy farm in Ontario by contributing her knowledge and expertise to a number of agriculture organizations, such as the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame where she serves as President and most recently the Agricultural Management Institute as a member of its Advisory Panel. Mary Lou is also a graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program.
Strategic Consultant
“Every successful business or organization must have a clear vision of what they want to achieve, and a long term plan to implement that vision. But at the same time, they should be flexible enough to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.”
Peter Hannam is recognized in many circles, but is undoubtedly most prominent in agricultural circles as a leader, visionary, facilitator of partnerships, and of course, a farmer. As an early integrator of research and technology, Peter utilized Woodrill, his farm near Guelph, to research both machinery and seed technology. He would go on to be a co-founder of the value-added business First Line Seeds, which he successfully managed for twenty years. Many of Peter's past accomplishments have involved aligning complementary businesses for the benefit of Canadian agriculture. These alignments included First Line Seeds with Asgrow Seed Company, the leading soybean breeder, developer, and distributor in the United States. Peter’s vision with First Line Seeds would then culminate in the sale of the company to Monsanto.
With more than forty years’ of involvement and experience in agriculture, Peter believes that policy development through commodity organizations is important for the foundation of all agriculture business. As the leading force behind the development of the Ontario AgriCentre, he has provided the opportunity for many agricultural organizations to share resources and expertise. Peter has also had first-hand involvement in many organizations, such as serving as President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Chair of the Canadian Soybean Export Association.
AdFarm is a full-service marketing communications agency that is 100% dedicated to production agriculture, food and rural development. This focus allows AdFarm to drive deeper into problems and to provide more relevant solutions. AdFarm is the perfect combination of agness and adness.
Davison Communications Inc. is a public relations firm focused exclusively on the agri-food sector. DCI understands the complexities of the food chain and the diversity of audience and stakeholders which is necessary to develop an effective communications program based on client objectives.
Strategic Research Associates operates an in-house call center using state-of-the-art computer based interviewing systems to deliver timely and accurate information to our clients. Our fully networked system of 20 CATI stations ensures quick turn-around and the capability to conduct research anywhere in North America. With our one-step data and tabulation system, survey results can be tabulated and processed in as little as 24 hours following the field work.
Synthesis Network Ltd.
7861 Hwy. 7
Guelph, ON
N1H 6H8
Phone 519-822-7272
info@synthesis-network.com
In today's complicated global marketplace, we are constantly faced with a new barrage of issues and trends. All of them are significant somehow, somewhere and to someone. But how important are they to agriculture and what do they mean to those of us in the business of food and farming?
Sign up for Synthesis Agri-Food Insights and we can help you make sense of the top agri-business developments by connecting the dots between current news and what it will mean to you, to your business and to your customers. Watch for it in your inbox regularly and let the team at Synthesis Agri-Food Consulting help you understand agriculture's challenges and opportunities by analyzing the issues and sharing their insights. Please view our Archived Newsletters.
