Ward Metzler
Business Manager

 

Ward Metzler brings a broad experience within DuPont to his role as the global business leader for DuPont™ Acurum™.   He is responsible for overall business results and leveraging the competencies of both our strategic collaborators and the DuPont company.

Ward started his 27-year career at DuPont as a chemical engineer and progressed through various management roles in the manufacturing of chemicals, fibers and plastics before being made accountable for a global research and development program.  More recently Ward has helped to create the business development process for DuPont Canada.

Ward holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from McMaster University.

 

Réjean Boyer
Global Sales and Market Manager

 

Coming from a farming background, Réjean has worked in Crop Protection and Seeds for 33 years. He joined DuPont 28 years ago and has held several positions in sales and marketing in Canada and globally. Réjean was a key participant in the team that developed the Acurum™ concept. He spearheaded the market research that was the basis for the creation of Acurum™.

Réjean is responsible for global sales of Acurum™ as well as further development of the Acurum™ platform technology for other applications.

Réjean graduated from the Institut de Technologie Agricole de St. Hyacinthe in Québec, after which he completed a Certificate in Marketing at McGill University in Montréal.

 

Chris Van Natto
Marketing Development Manager


Chris is responsible for the development and commercialization of Acurum™. This includes managing technical product development between our strategic partners as well as reconciling the needs of development scientists and engineers to marketing and sales.

Prior to joining DuPont Canada, Chris was the Technology Manager for Hedley Technologies Inc. managing the R&D and commercialization of new agricultural pesticides. His career in agriculture began with the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), the last 5 years working as the CGC Grain Sanitation and Infestation Control Coordinator.

Chris obtained a Master of Science Degree in Biology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

 

Richard Michta
Consultant

 

Richard Michta provides technical guidance to the Acurum™ team regarding grain grading procedures. He is also responsible for developing and maintaining contact with key industry groups within the Canadian agricultural community and represents Acurum™ at various grain industry functions.

Richard’s 30 year career with the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) began in Calgary as a Grain Inspector advancing to senior positions including the CGC's national staff training program for grain inspectors. He was involved with many programs conducted by Canadian International Grains Institute and represented the CGC in Pakistan, Hungary, Brazil and China. In September 2001, Richard retired from his position as Manager, Western Grain Standards. Since retiring he has become a consultant to DuPont.

Richard obtained his secondary education (agriculture) at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

 

Jackie McKenzie
Technical and Customer Service Support

 

Jackie is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Acurum Call Centre.  She is also involved in many of the testing and quality control projects that go on within DuPont™Acurum™.

Jackie is a recent addition to the DuPont team.  She graduated from the University of Guelph with a background in Agriculture and Horticulture. 

 

Doug Angle
Development Engineer

 

Doug is responsible for the development and commercialization of Acurum™. This includes managing technical product development between our strategic partners as well as reconciling the needs of development scientists and engineers to marketing and sales.

Doug has been with DuPont for 22 years, first as a process engineer in various manufacturing facilities. More recently he has been a Six Sigma resource in the roles of Black Belt, Master Black Belt and Champion, responsible for the Six Sigma program in Canada. As an amateur astronomer, he has developed expertise in optics, cameras and imaging systems.

Doug obtained a Bachelor or Engineering Science Degree in Chemical Engineering at The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, and is a Registered Professsional Engineer.

 

Jon Kozub
Software Solutions

 

Jon graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Computer Science.  He began his career as a Computer programmer/analyst at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lethbridge, AB.   With several years of experience, Jon then became the Neural Net modeler/programmer at AAFC when Acurum™ first began.  He then joined the DuPont team as a software engineer. 

 

Alfonsius Ariawan
Research Scientist

Alfonsius has developed models for DuPont™ Acurum™ for various applications: Canada Western Red Spring wheat (CWRS), Canada Western Amber Durum wheat(CWAD), and Acurum Prediction Index (API). He also provides data analysis support. He has been with DuPont for 5 years. He began with the Research & Development team in Kingston, ON, then more recently with the Acurum™ team. Alfonsius is also a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, offering training, logistics, and mentoring to both Green Belt and Black Belt candidates. He graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering.