Banff plays host to 2022 AMC Convention

by Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada

New Member

Members rave about their experience

By Lori Derksen

With very few places in Canada more picturesque, and nestled between Tunnel Mountain, Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain, AMC hosted its 50th Annual Convention and Trade Show in Banff, AB. With the THRIVE theme ringing true, roughly 150 people representing over 60 member companies gathered at Banff Centre on Dec. 6 and 7, 2022, with participants giving resoundingly positive reviews of the AMC event.

“The THRIVE theme focused on the foundations paramount to a successful company,” said AMC President, Donna Boyd. “Over the two days, we heard insights from an outstanding lineup of top experts presenting on key topics, ranging from building engagement among employees to current economic trends.”

Along with the celebration of our 50th anniversary milestone, we launched a new tradition: the Founders Lunch, which recognized and celebrated the founding members of AMC whose vision in the early 1970s created a legacy that we continue to build upon today and into the future.

Eight speaker sessions and 36 trade show exhibitors meant a full agenda, with the highlight for many being Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, an expert on resiliency and workplace wellness, who delivered her presentation called Leading Through the Storms.

Create Opportunities for Indigenous Manufacturers: Bridget Bohan, Director, Business Development, Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)

• Strong Teams Equal Strong ResultsBuilding and Maintaining Trust in Your Business: James Blase, Decision Works Consulting

• Cultivating the New Normal: Pat Hirst, Manager of Training and Development, MacDon Industries

• The Future of Agricultural Machinery Standards in Canada: Scott Cedarquist, ASABE Standards and Technical Director

Almost every attendee had an emotional response when hearing Hanley-Dafoe’s personal story of triumph through life’s challenges, as she focused on leadership and coping mechanisms. She also touched on trust-building activities for teams, wise practices for forces of recovery, and psychological safety. Posting about many of the same topics on social media, check out HanleyDafoe’s LinkedIn at: https://www. linkedin.com/in/drrobynehd.

Other speaker sessions included:

• NGen and IMCN: Collaborating to

• Vuforia Augmented Reality – The Rise of The Digital Mentor: Bill Durand, CEO, NeuroStrategy and PTC

• Inflation and Agriculture – Local and Global Perspectives: J.P. Gervais, Vice-President and Chief Agricultural Economist, FCC

• Tapping into Today’s Talent – 2022 Panel Discussion: Moderated by Dan Aberhart (President, Aberhart Ag Solutions), and featuring Pat Hirst (MacDon), Tara Shirtliffe (CLS Consulting), and James Blase (DecisionWorks Consulting).

“The theme and speakers were of a high quality; the convention was well organized and had great topics,” said one appreciative attendee.

“The camaraderie and networking are fantastic,” said another attendee. “It was a great convention and I look forward to next year.”

But it wasn’t all business, as AMC provided attendees with great evening entertainment on both nights. Tuesday night, participants loaded up the shuttle bus and headed over to High Rollers - a Banff beer hall – for a night of pins, pizza, pool, and pints. Wednesday night included the AMC 50th Anniversary banquet. Kicking it off was the organization’s inaugural Careers in Ag Scholarship Fund Auction, which raised $7,700 for the scholarship fund. The second evening and Convention ended on a great note with Comedy in Motion’s Bob Cates entertaining attendees throughout the dinner.

Be sure to look out for AMC’s 2023 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Regina, SK, to be hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Conference Centre on Nov. 22 and 23, 2023. Registration opens later this summer.