Kelly Dobson
Founder, Performance Coach, LeaderShift
Coaching Specialization: LeaderShift’s services focus on personal, interpersonal, and family challenges through personal/professional development and impartial coaching.

Kelly is the Founder and Chief Performance Coach of LeaderShift Inc., a leader support and development firm specializing in small and medium sized enterprises. Kelly has a life long interest in teams and how effective leadership can create results greater than the sum of individual efforts. Striving to create that leadership dynamic is what excites Kelly to do this work. Kelly is also the current leader of a fourth-generation farm at Fairfax, Manitoba. Kelly has served agriculture for over a decade, chairing groups provincially and federally. Kelly is a Certified Executive Coach and holds MA in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Brendon Fornwald
Farm Management Consultant, Backswath Management
Coaching Specialization: Farm Finance, Farm lending

Brendon Fornwald brings to AgEx 2022 his knowledge and experience in farm finance, particularly the area of farm lending. Before joining Backswath in May 2022, he was a Senior Relationship Manager with FCC.

After growing up on the family farm near Lampman, Sask., Brendon studied Finance at the University of Regina. Hockey was a passion in his youth — playing for Humboldt in the SJHL and Portage la Prairie in the MJHL, among other teams. Brendon is focused on building strong relationships in order to provide timely and honest advice, strategizing off existing client strengths, identifying opportunities and mitigating risk while ultimately helping farm families achieve success.

“Agriculture has always been a huge part of my life,” Brendon says. “My background in Finance and years with FCC give me the knowledge and experience to help Backswath clients earn a just reward for their hard work and risk-taking.”

Shea Ferster
Business Advisor, Agriculture, MNP
Coaching Specialization: Ag Data & How It Can Make Business Owners More Money, Ag Digital Transformation

Shea Ferster, CPA, CA is a Business Advisor with MNP’s Agricultural Services team and the leader of the Firm’s Ag Digital initiative. Based in Saskatoon, Shea has 23 years of public practice experience and is actively involved in the operation of his family farm. He works primarily with owner-operated agriculture businesses, including livestock intensive farms. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of agriculture, his knowledge of technology and the various farm income programs available, Shea helps clients manage their risk and identify unique opportunities for increased success. His aim is to help create customized solutions for Ag producers so that they can positively impact profitability and achieve their business and personal goals.

Bruce Kirk
Practice Lead for Agribusiness, Backswath Management
Coaching Specialization: Finance, operation efficiency, team performance, managing risk, for both Agribusinesses and farm families.

Bruce Kirk helps both agribusinesses and farm families achieve better financial results, improve their operational efficiency, boost team performance and manage risk.

Alongside his lifelong background in agriculture, he’s also earned his stripes over a long career in the industries of manufacturing, construction and transportation. With a professional accounting designation (CPA, CMA), Bruce also trained as an Agricultural Machinery Technician and is currently pursuing his Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation.

This standout combination of skills and experience makes him ideally suited to advise clients on their financial and operational needs. When clients need top-level expertise for a short period, Bruce can parachute in as a temporary Chief Financial Officer.

“The experiences gained from different industries allow me to transfer that knowledge to the needs of farms and agribusinesses,” Bruce says. “That, coupled with my direct experiences in crop, feedlot and ag business, allows me adapt quickly to work on client challenges.”

Josée Lemoine
CEO and Strategy Lead, Backswath Management
Coaching Specialization:

Backswath Management CEO Josée Lemoine, a Certified Management Consultant, has been helping ownership and management teams develop practical and effective strategy since 1999. She began her career after completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree in International Business from the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business.

Starting out at MNP LLP, Josée left her role as a manager in 2005. She then joined Encore Business Solutions as Strategy Leader and VP of Business Development. In 2008, Josée founded Pivot Performance, a management consulting company specializing in strategic planning and facilitation, merging this business with Backswath in 2019.
In addition to being CEO, Josée is also Backswath’s Strategy and Facilitation Leader.

Trevor MacLean
National Lead, TransitionSmart, MNP
Coaching Specialization: Succession, Business Management, Leadership, Banking

Trevor MacLean, MBA, BMgt, is a Partner with MNP’s Agriculture team in Lethbridge. Trevor provides business and advisory services to agricultural producers and agribusinesses across Western Canada, delivering creative, customized and practical solutions to help his clients achieve their goals and enhance their success. A Partner, Trevor brings more than two decades of experience to his role. He identifies the issues and develops tailored solutions for managing risk, improving performance and seizing emerging opportunities.

With a strong background in agribusiness and financial services, Trevor brings a unique and balanced perspective that allows him to fully understand his clients’ business. He works closely with his clients and draws on MNP’s broad-based team expertise to help his clients navigate their challenges and achieve their goals.

Kelleen Tait
Business Advisor with MNP’s Assurance and Accounting, MNP
Coaching Specialization: Tax Planning, Accounting, Benchmarking, Financial Fluency and Business Risk Management

Kelleen is a Business Advisor with MNP’s Assurance and Accounting team in Edmonton and leads the Firm’s National Poultry and Alberta Food and Beverage Processing teams. Kelleen works closely with her clients to ensure they understand their financial situation and feel confident in planning for the future. She helps clients strengthen their businesses based on their unique situation and industry best practices.

Kelleen delivers a comprehensive suite of assurance and advisory services to agricultural producers, food and beverage processors, groups of agricultural sector companies, feedlots and intensive livestock operations, producer associations, and the Hutterian Brethren. She also works with high-net-worth individuals, private enterprises, and not-for-profit organizations. Kelleen helps her clients with audits and reviews, AgriStability and tax planning, and advises on strategies for growth, benchmarking and achieving business goals.