Trevor Lewington – CEO, Economic Development Lethbridge
Emcee for 2024 RBC Family and Small Business Summit
Trevor Lewington is CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge and has vast experience in the agri-food and manufacturing sectors. Trevor holds a bachelor of commerce with a major in human resource management, has completed a change leadership certificate with Cornell University and is a certified human resources professional through the Human Resources Institute of Alberta. He is also a certified logistics professional through the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation. Prior to joining Economic Development Lethbridge, Trevor was the manufacturing director of Western Canada supply chain for PepsiCo Foods Canada (Frito-Lay plants). Through his career with PepsiCo Foods Canada, Trevor held progressively more senior management positions, and was responsible for three manufacturing plants in southern Alberta. His experience in industry, as a small business owner and in the public sector provides Trevor with the ability to bring a robust perspective to his position at Economic Development Lethbridge and has helped enhance initiatives that drive continued economic growth in southern Alberta.
Panel #1 – Improving business decisions through data, machine learning and AI
Tayo Olaleye is Director, Data and Analytics in RBC’s Innovation and Technology. She has about 18 years banking experience, the last 11 of which has been in the Innovation and Digital Transformation space.
She has been involved in projects and improvement initiatives from conceptualization to delivery and post-delivery monitoring. The crux of this has to do with anticipating and providing superior services and solution to clients’ needs while achieving business benefits and organizational goals.
She was the Head of Continuous Improvement of a foreign commercial bank before she immigrated to Canada. When she is not working, Tayo can be found watching movies, reading novels, or cooking/trying new recipes. She is also on the board of Immigrant Techies Alberta (a not-for profit organization) where she volunteers to make immigrants in the tech space find their feet.
Ryan Sailer – General Manager at Southland Trailer Corp.
Experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the transportation/trucking industry. Skilled in Lean Manufacturing, Lean Principles, Lean Operations, Lean Management, and Lean Tools. Strong sales professional with a accounting focused in Accounting and Business/Management from University of Lethbridge School of Graduate Studies.
Timothy Hachkowski – Marketing Director, Sumus Property Group
Timothy is a creative and technology-focused entrepreneur from Lethbridge. Timothy had an early start with technology and business thanks to key mentors and his independent research on AI and digital business. Timothy has worked in marketing and technology since 2015, exiting his start-up marketing company in 2018 to be a founding member of Sumus Property Group Ltd. a company focused on building community with thoughtful and well-designed real estate investments such as the local downtown landmark Post. Now, Timothy works to enhance our daily lives through the thoughtful implementation of technology and AI in architecture and business.
Colin Moreland is the CEO and Chairman of MPP Software and he also owns Lethbridge Sports. Colin’s 20 year career in technology has spanned four different startups and he has extensive experience driving innovation and digital transformation. Colin was part of the team that implemented the first heuristic portfolio optimization engine in the oil and gas industry, as well he was the product lead for the largest digital transformation project undertaken by the city of Edmonton in the last 25 years. Colin’s career has grown alongside the emerging fields of AI, digital transformation and machine learning, and Colin has hands on experience working on projects at all stages of the lifecycle.
Panel #2 – Enhancing sustainability and measuring progress using data, machine learning and AI
Mark Arkell, Founder and Chief Tinkering Officer at Agri-Food Automation, leads a team at the cutting edge of agricultural and food processing automation with a vision to create food abundance through automation. With 18 years of experience, Mark has been a driving force in the industry, notably contributing to significant capital projects within leading seed producers. His involvement in the industry extended to serving on the Executive Board of the International Society of Automation, for 4 years where he played a key role in advancing the field.
Mark’s expertise spans a broad range of subjects within industrial automation, reflecting a deep understanding of how technology can revolutionize agriculture and food processing. As a panelist, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, ready to share insights and engage in discussions on the latest trends and challenges facing the industry.
Tevi Legge is a prominent figure in the field of CX (Customer Experience) and Digital Product Leadership and holds extensive expertise in technology, AI, energy, and burnout. With a comprehensive understanding of these domains, Tevi has made significant contributions to the industry and established herself as an authentic expert in this space.
As a CX + Product leader, Tevi is a strategic and trusted partner, guiding organizations toward delivering exceptional customer experiences while focusing on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term business growth. Her extensive knowledge of technology and AI has enabled her to pioneer transformative solutions that enhance customer interactions, streamline processes, and deliver personalized experiences at scale. Tevi is a visionary in identifying sustainable practices and harnessing the combined powers of people, process, and technology, to promote and foster efficiency gains, adaptive cultures, futureproofing, and FUN!
Christine is an ambitious and focused individual who enjoys hard work and being challenged. For nearly 20 years she has managed complex and innovative projects focused in Agrifood industry. She has forged her success and is widely known as a Force of Nature that always delivers. Her unique and diversified skill set leads her to the front line, then to the boardroom and often into the offices of government to support change in many areas. Always on the lookout for exciting and collaborative projects across various disciplines, Christine keeps many wondering what and with whom she will partner with next!