Basic HTML Version
Greg goes for coffee with his friends,
they probably sometimes wonder a little
bit how we’re making it all work. But we
do.”
If baby Abigail represents yet another
piece of the puzzle, the Donahues are
more than up to the challenge.
“Our little girl was a frequent flyer
before she was born,” Donahue pointed
out, adding that Abigail’s industry
debut was at the Canada Grains Council
meetings in the third week of November.
“It’s finding that balance, and never
losing the broader perspective of why
you’re doing this.”
Donahue’s Biggar roots run deep—her
parents’ farm is part of the land she and
Greg work today—but, growing up in
the 1980s, she didn’t picture a career
in agriculture. This outlook shifted as
she gradually drifted towards the field
while in university, eventually earning
a business degree with a major in
agriculture economics. She planned
to follow up with a PhD, and possibly
an academic posting, but decided to
first spend some time with a private
company. She hasn’t looked back since.
It was 2002—a drought year, and
not the best time to be job hunting.
Nevertheless, Donahue landed a job
with Cargill, working as an export
merchant out of the Vancouver office.
Then, a couple of years later, she jumped
at the chance to return to Biggar when
a job opened up at Cargill’s Prairie Malt
operation.
“That was nice,” she recalled. “It had
me at home, and that’s really when
Greg and I started
farming full time,
and started
expanding the
farm a bit.”
Before long,
Donahue was
managing Cargill’s
entire supply
chain for Canadian
barley. Then came the promotion to
corporate affairs, and the beginning
of her rigorous commuting schedule
between the Cargill head office in
Winnipeg and the farm back in Biggar.
As demanding as that split focus may
be, it may also help explain Donahue’s
success, suggested Ted Menzies,
president and CEO of CropLife Canada
(and former Member of Parliament for
Macleod, which includes High River).
“I find it fascinating when you meet
with someone in their office and it’s all
business—and then she can reflect back
on what happened on the farm in Biggar
last week. She brings it back to what
actually matters, on the farm. That, I think,
has stood her very
well in her career.”
At the same time,
Donahue has an
unmatched view
of the big picture,
according to Dennis
Laycraft, executive
vice-president
of the Canadian
Cattlemen’s Association.
“Chantelle covers such a wide range
of areas within Cargill,” he said. “And
Cargill really reaches from one end of the
country to the other. She probably sees
the issues at a higher level than a lot of
other people.”
Laycraft also marvels at Donahue’s
seemingly boundless energy.
“I’m sure she gets tired, but she
certainly appears to be a tireless
advocate. No matter what the occasion
requires, she’s there to ensure the issue is
dealt with properly.”
Meanwhile, back on the farm, Greg
said his wife’s industry-wide outlook has
broadened his own perspective, as well.
“You see these tens of thousands of
check-off dollars leaving the farm, and
you have some realization of where it’s
going and people are actually working
to get it to the right places,” he said. “It’s
nice to have the other view, rather than
just what you hear at the coffee shop—
which is generally not the whole story.”
For her part, Chantelle cherishes her
farm and family for keeping her grounded.
Often, while working inWinnipeg or
Ottawa, she’ll find herself pausing to think,
“OK, is this going to make sense when I
bring it back to the farm?”
Winter
2015
grainswest.com
31
“No matter what the
occasion requires, she’s
there to ensure the issue
is dealt with properly.”
–Dennis Laycraft
haRD at WoRK:
Donahue has many di erent
work locations: The farm or her o ce at Prairie
Malt, both in Biggar, SK, or at Cargill HQ in
Winnipeg, MB.