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Sanimax celebrates its 85th anniversary

This year, Sanimax proudly celebrates 85 years of success! It’s been quite the journey for this small Quebec-based family enterprise, which was established in 1939 by two brothers in Quebec City’s Saint-Malo district!

While we have grown significantly throughout the years, we have never strayed from our core business: rendering. Led by the Couture family, who has overseen the company across generations, we have made strategic decisions at the right moments, staying true to our family values.

Today, we are extremely proud of our established international presence, with 17 processing sites across the United States, Canada, Colombia and Brazil.

As we reflect on our achievements and mark this milestone, we are reminded that they are the result of our collective efforts. We extend our deepest gratitude to our talented teams and partners, whose daily contributions help us carry out our goal of creating a greener future and promoting the circular economy.

We commemorate this anniversary with enthusiasm, certain that our future is filled with continued success!

This occasion also signals the launch of our new corporate video, which offers an opportunity to discover or rediscover our company and our mission. Enjoy!

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Michael Karman

Vice President – Procurement and Transportation USA

After earning a degree in agricultural business, Mike Karman started his career at Sanimax. He began on the customer service team where he learned the basics of the rendering industry. From there, he moved to inside sales followed by international export logistics. Before long, he was working on the hides international sales team, where he traveled the world selling hides and established Sanimax’s global market in China. Following this, he moved to finished goods sales. After a decade on this side of the business, Mike shifted once again, leading the USA procurement group. Most recently, the USA transportation department was added to his supervision. 

Mike has over thirty years at Sanimax, over which he has transitioned seamlessly across the organization. His vast experience in rendering has made him a pillar of Sanimax as he’s helped guide teams through challenges, spearheaded mergers and acquisitions, and been a leader in change management. Mike’s leadership style is rooted in relationships – with customers, vendors, and colleagues. A steward of agriculture, he takes pride in being an integral part of the industry that is essential to the circular economy.

Miguel Caro

Senior Vice President – Country Manager Colombia

Miguel possesses a strong ability to form and lead commercial teams, along with extensive experience in negotiating materials, parts, and critical services within industrial and manufacturing sectors. 

Previously Vice President of Supply Chain at Sanimax Colombia, he has played a pivotal role in developing strategic business plans and managing various projects, including transportation logistics. He has effectively aligned diverse departments throughout the end-to-end process to achieve targeted goals in safety, volume, and profitability. 

Miguel holds a mechanical engineering degree from Universidad de los Andes and an MBA from Westfield Business School in Miami. Prior to joining Sanimax Colombia, he held roles as Supply Chain Director and Manager at Yara INTL, among others.

Éric Bussières

Chief Financial Officer

Eric Bussières joins the Sanimax team with an impressive background leading finance teams across a variety of industries. A highly experienced CFO with decades of expertise, he has held pivotal roles at respected organizations where he drove significant growth and development. His natural instincts for strategic vision along with his financial acumen have been fundamental to his success.

In his role as Sanimax CFO, Eric oversees financial strategies and operations, ensuring the company’s competitive edge and profitability. By providing timely, accurate, and complete financial information, Eric is a key player in supporting Sanimax’s business leaders in their various strategic initiatives and operational excellences. He holds a master’s degree in finance from Université de Sherbrooke, providing a solid foundation for his successful career. Eric’s hobbies include swimming, downhill skiing, and trekking with his family.

Claudinei Lastori
Senior Vice President –
Country Manager Brazil

Claudinei joined Sanimax in 2016, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record in finance and business management. Claudinei has been a critical component to the company’s evolution in Brazil, starting as the finance director and overseeing legal, human resources, and IT. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded to include procurement, sales, and logistics, the success of which led to Claudinei’s appointment to his current role as the Sanimax Brazil Country Manager.

As the Brazil Country Manager, Claudinei aims to capitalize on Brazil’s position as a global leader in protein production and the pet-food business. He is focused on investing in and increasing Sanimax’s market share and envisions contributing to the country’s decarbonization plan through biofuels. Despite the inherent complexities, Claudinei is building a reliable and dedicated team to tackle the growth challenges that lie ahead, emphasizing a commitment to Sanimax’s future success.

Claudinei holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, is a CPA accredited by the Brazilian Account Institutes (CFC) and is IFRS certified by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). His professional journey began in finance roles, with notable experiences in Royal Canin, where he played a key role in the integration of the company after a significant acquisition, and relevant experience in KPMG, auditing in several fields like agricultural, sugarcane industry, chemical, consumer goods and heavy industrial machines. Other integral experiences in general strategy, distribution models, launching of new products completes his skillset required to the position he now holds.

Donn Johnson
Senior Vice President –
Country Manager USA

With over 15 years of dedicated service to Sanimax, Donn is a visionary leader who has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and operational achievements. He began his career at Sanimax as the U.S. financial controller. Over the years, he seamlessly transitioned into a leadership role within operations, capitalizing on his strong financial background to bring operational excellence to the U.S. operations.

In his current role, Donn focuses on strategic leadership, bringing teams together and empowering them to achieve their full potential. With his collaborative approach, combined with a results-driven mindset, Donn fosters a culture of excellence and success within Sanimax. His background in and commitment to continuous improvement has been instrumental in enhancing efficiency across the organization.

Donn holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and marketing, a master’s in business administration, and is a CPA. He has experience in a variety of industries, including the public accounting sector, capital equipment manufacturing, and a publicly traded energy company.

Brent Muir

Vice President, Legal

Brent joined Sanimax as the Vice President of Legal Affairs and Public Relations in 2019. After a successful 25-year business law practice during which he represented Sanimax, Brent transitioned into a five-year career as a Senior Vice President with an institutional asset management firm specializing in global investment strategies.

Brent holds the responsibility of the group’s legal function, oversees the public relations initiatives across the Sanimax geography and works closely with teams across the company. His engineering background combined with his deep understanding of Sanimax’s operations and values allows him to manage legal risks while benefitting from the appreciation of both technical and operational realities.

Brent holds an engineering degree from McGill University, a law degree from Ottawa University, is a member of Quebec’s Bar Association as well as Quebec Order of Chartered Administrators, Brent holds the Institute of Corporate Directors accreditation (ICD.D) having successfully completing the university of Torontos’ Rotman School of Management Directors Education Program.

Notably, Brent has actively contributed to several Boards of Directors and currently serves as the Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors of Sanimax Industries. His multifaceted expertise, coupled with a commitment to excellence, makes Brent an invaluable asset to our leadership team and the continued success of Sanimax.

Katya Laviolette
Chair of the governance and human resources committee

Katya Laviolette is a bilingual executive who has extensive global experience in human resources and M&A. She has worked in both large-scale multinational organizations as well as founder led high growth scale-ups, across a number of industries.

Katya currently holds the role of Chief People Officer with 1Password, a password management and credentials security platform. Prior to joining 1Password, Katya held several executive level HR roles at SSENSE (Chief People Officer & Head of Real Estate), TC Transcontinental (CHRO), CBC | Radio-Canada (VP, People & Culture), and Rio Tinto (VP, Human Resources). Katya is also a Board Director.

Katya holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from Queen’s University. She is a member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés (ORHRI) as well as a certified coach with Integral Coaching Canada.

Yanick Gervais

Yanick Gervais was appointed President and CEO of Olymel on November 11, 2021. He succeeded Réjean Nadeau, who passed away on October 14 of the same year after leading the company for nearly a quarter of a century. When La Fernandière was acquired in 2016, Yanick Gervais joined Olymel and first became Vice President and General Manager of this new division, which focuses on the production of fresh sausages.

In 2018, Yanick Gervais was appointed Senior Vice President, Operations, in addition to overseeing the Engineering and Logistics departments. In this capacity, he had the key responsibility to oversee the operations of more than 30 plants located mainly in Quebec, but also in four other Canadian provinces. Before joining Olymel, Yanick Gervais was co-owner and general manager of La Fernandière for over 10 years. He was the grandson of one of its founders.

Trained as an accountant and tax specialist, Yanick Gervais previously worked with the accounting firm Dessureault, Leblanc, Lefebvre, C.A. from 2001 to 2005. He has been very active on various committees related to the chartered accountancy profession, particularly on training and recognition of the next generation of chartered accountants. Yanick Gervais volunteers for several charitable organizations and is very involved in his community. He holds a graduate diploma and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, as well as a master’s degree in taxation (MTax) from the Université de Sherbrooke.

Paul Beauchamp

Paul Beauchamp joined the Olymel executive team in 2000 and currently holds the position of First Vice President. In this capacity, he is responsible for supply in the hog and poultry sectors, is also in charge of corporate affairs, communications and public affairs, and acts as the company’s spokesperson. He is also directly involved in decisions about acquisitions, mergers, partnerships and business strategy.

Mr. Beauchamp previously served as Secretary and Vice President for Corporate Affairs at Lactel from 1996 to 2000, and as Director of Public Affairs for the Coopérative Fédérée de Québec from 1992 to 1996. He also worked for the Government of Quebec from 1985 to 1992 as Chief of Staff to the Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as well as the Minister of Education.

Paul Beauchamp is a graduate of Laval University, where he studied law and economics. He has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1986.

Réjean Nadeau

Réjean Nadeau a consacré sa vie professionnelle au secteur de la transformation agroalimentaire. Nourrir le monde aurait pu être sa devise dès le début de sa carrière. Détenteur de deux baccalauréats de l’Université Laval, l’un en pédagogie et l’autre en relations industrielles, Réjean Nadeau se joint à La Coop fédérée dès 1976.

Visionnaire et innovateur, Réjean Nadeau a toujours lancé de grands chantiers. C’est ainsi qu’il crée Unidindon, plus importante entreprise canadienne du secteur du dindon, avec Exceldor comme partenaire. Il regroupe les activités des secteurs porc et volaille de La Coop fédérée sous la filiale Olymel. Il procède à l’acquisition de la plus importante usine canadienne de transformation de porc à Red Deer, en Alberta. Il réalise la fusion d’Olymel avec Supraliment, division des viandes du Groupe Brochu, ajoutant aux marques Olymel et Flamingo celle des célèbres charcuteries Lafleur. Il met en œuvre un partenariat d’affaires avec Westco, producteur de volailles du Nouveau-Brunswick, pour la construction de l’usine d’abattage et de découpe de poulets Sunnymel, desservant les Maritimes. Il acquiert le deuxième plus important producteur de porcs du pays, Big Sky Farms de Saskatchewan, afin de garantir les approvisionnements d’Olymel dans l’Ouest canadien.

Au Québec, au cours des dernières années, il conclut des partenariats importants dans le secteur du porc frais avec ATRAHAN Transformation Inc., ainsi qu’avec le Groupe Robitaille dans Lucyporc. Sous sa direction, Olymel a aussi procédé à plusieurs acquisitions dont celles de La Fernandière en 2016, de Pinty’s Delicious Foods et des Aliments Triomphe Inc. en 2018, ainsi que de l’ensemble des activités porcines de F. Ménard en 2020.

En moins de vingt ans, Réjean Nadeau a été responsable d’une expansion qui a permis à Olymel d’être active au Québec, en Ontario, au Nouveau-Brunswick, en Saskatchewan et en Alberta. Sous sa direction, Olymel n’a jamais cessé de se moderniser, de valoriser ses produits, d’innover dans ses façons de faire et de répondre aux attentes des clients et des consommateurs.

Il a siégé à plusieurs conseils d’administration et s’est également impliqué auprès de nombreuses œuvres de charité. C’est aussi sous sa direction que l’entreprise a remporté de nombreux prix, tant pour ses produits et l’originalité de leur mise en marché que pour sa gestion des ressources humaines. En novembre 2013, Réjean Nadeau s’est vu attribuer l’honneur d’accéder au Temple de la renommée de l’Association des détaillants en alimentation (ADA) pour l’ensemble de sa carrière. En 2016, Réjean Nadeau a également reçu le Prix Hommage Grand Bâtisseur Desjardins pour ses qualités d’entrepreneur et de leader du secteur de la transformation agroalimentaire.

François Berthiaume

Senior Vice President, Finance

With over 25 years of professional experience in companies with national and worldwide operations, François brings a wealth of expertise to Sanimax. His career with the company began in early 2015, when he was drawn to Sanimax’s entrepreneurial spirit and international
presence.

Focused on improving and optimizing results and processes, François seeks to strike the right balance between strategy and fieldwork. An ambitious, mobilizing leader, François’s strong analytical abilities help drive his commitment to sustainable growth and facilitating decision making within the organization. His areas of expertise include strategic planning, merger and acquisition, financing, management of accounting and financial operations, as well as business and financial process reengineering.

Over the years, François has held key positions in various industries, shaping his diverse skillset and strategic outlook. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Sherbrooke and is a proud member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (CPA) and the Québec Chapter of Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada).

 

Terry Finn

Senior Vice President –
Country Manager Canada

With a career highlighting achievements in sales and marketing, exemplary leadership, and a commitment to positive change, Terry stands as a testament to the transformative power of passion, dedication, and values-driven leadership. Since joining Sanimax in 2008, Terry has guided his teams to success. He motivates, engages, and develops employees to cultivate an atmosphere of operational excellence where they can thrive in a safe environment.

Terry’s professional background is rooted in sales and marketing, where he honed his leadership skills to foster strong relationships both internally and externally, making him a natural problem solver when challenges arise. Terry is dedicated to the delivery and execution of the organizational vision, ensuring the team consistently strives to be the very best in the industry.

Before joining Sanimax, Terry experienced much success at H.J. Heinz, where he moved up the ranks from sales representative to national sales manager in just ten years. More recently, he served as vice president of marketing and sales for Videotron, a leading Quebec telecommunications company. He holds a degree in business administration from Montreal’s Ecole des Haute Etudes Commerciales.

Denis Caron

Senior Vice President –
Country Manager Colombia

Denis has been a valued member of the Sanimax team for over 12 years. His experience in all areas of human resources management, where he has overcome significant challenges over the course of his career, paired with his strategic and pragmatic approach lends to his professional
success. Throughout his career, Denis has paved the way for organizations to successfully carryout succession strategies of management teams and coached leaders and executives to be the very best.

In his current role, Denis’s primary focus is supporting the significant growth Sanimax has seen in Colombia and South America. An expert in change management, leadership, and succession planning, Denis is passionate about building a strong leadership team that will thrive as Sanimax continues its organizational development. As he leads by example, he works to transform the organization through exemplifying the company’s values and culture.

Denis is a graduate of Universite Laval in Quebec City in the field of people management. Before joining Sanimax, he held executive positions with major Canadian companies such as Provigo, Loblaws, Walmart, and most recently Rona, where he held a management role in promoting leadership change strongly focused on the customer.

Michael Carlson Sanimax
Michael Carlson
Senior Vice President, Sales

Michael Carlson began his career at a beef processing plant that was, at the time, North America’s largest slaughter and processing plant. Here he began merchandising finished products, starting with meat and bone meal and then moving to edible tallow. Michael’s expertise in trading was further developed during his nine-year tenure at a commodity trading company. 

After over a decade of working directly in trading cash commodities, Michael transitioned his career to the rendering industry, joining Sanimax – then Anamax – where he continues to play a key role in finished product sales. In his current role, Michael oversees North American finished sales teams and collaborates with our South American companies to build opportunities for exporting fats and oils. His passion for the business coupled with his ability to build and mentor strong teams has been a driving force throughout his career.

Now, with over 30 years of his experience dedicated to Sanimax, Michael has played a key role in generating, developing, and growing the company’s finished goods sales and third-party business. His dedication to mentoring and coaching has contributed to his success in building effective teams and achieving strategic goals.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Morningside University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors – upland and waterfowl hunting, salmon fishing, and bike riding – with his family.

Éric Trudeau

Chief People, Culture and Corporate Affairs

With a distinguished career spanning over 25 years in human resources management, Eric Trudeau is a seasoned professional dedicated to comprehending and addressing intricate business challenges. His expertise lies in delivering solutions that are aligned with corporate values and culture. Passionate about fostering the professional growth of employees, Eric excels as a change management facilitator, establishing collaborative partnerships with managers and effectively supporting the management of their teams. His keen focus extends to tackling recruitment hurdles, enhancing employee engagement, and optimizing talent retention strategies within the organizational framework.

Eric has held roles in human resources across diverse organizations, contributing his skills to Komatsu and General Mills. From 2007 to 2013, Eric was the corporate director of People & Culture at Sanimax. From 2013 to 2018, Eric served as the vice president of human resources for Group Robert. Here, he supported the growth of the company by helping develop an HR culture that included an efficient recruiting structure, leadership development, and a restructured management and leadership team. Eric returned to Sanimax after his time at Group Robert armed with established expertise and experience to help the organization renew itself, specifically in recruiting and talent development.

Today, Eric is dedicated to ensuring Sanimax has the right people in the right roles at the right time, with a vision for developing individuals as the company’s future leaders. In his free time, Eric enjoys sports, specifically road-biking in the summer and downhill skiing in the winter, and cooking for friends and family.

Martial Hamel

Chief Executive Officer

With a relentless focus on the overall strategic initiatives of the company and a gift for nurturing a positive company culture, Martial is a dynamic leader dedicated to driving excellence in every aspect of Sanimax. Having joined Sanimax in 2010, Martial was a key executive in the transformation of our customer experience and supply chain operations, which was realized over a three-year period through the implementation of major company-wide initiatives. Following this, he successfully held the positions of Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and President, North America until becoming the global President & Chief Operating Officer.

Most recently, Martial accepted the role of CEO, further solidifying his position as a driving force behind our continued success. With a wealth of experience and a proven track record of accomplishments, Martial leads the team with a combination of insight, passion for excellence, and dedication to deliver our vision. His approachable demeanor and collaborative spirit have helped create an environment where people can reach their full potential.

Martial holds an MBA from Athabasca University as well as a master’s degree in supply chain and logistics management. He was named “Supply Chain Executive of the Year” in 2017 by the Freight Management Association of Canada, in recognition of his leadership and innovative approach in the field of supply chain management.

In his spare time, you can find Martial and his family visiting the Laurentides, north of Montreal, where they enjoy hiking, skiing, and watersports.

Richard Goulet

President of Alter Ego Capital, which he co-founded in 2013, Mr. Goulet is a committed entrepreneur with a successful track record in mergers & acquisitions and portfolio management.

He started his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young in 1992. He made the leap into the industry in 1995, serving in various management positions at Bombardier. In 1997, he joined the management team of De Luxe Group, a North American leader of flexible packaging solutions for the food industry. He quickly rose to the position of President and became a major shareholder. Under his leadership, the company experienced exceptional growth, organically and through major acquisitions. Operating several manufacturing plants in Canada and in the United States, serving customers worldwide, De Luxe Group became a dominant player in the industry, recognized for its capacity to innovate and its strength in the international markets.

Mr. Goulet is a chartered accountant (CPA, CA) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (accounting, urban planning and real estate) from Laval University. He is also involved with the Young Presidents’ Organisation since 2008.

John Meyer Jr.

John brings 18 years of experience in various operational and development roles at the Anamax Group. Since 1995, he has been an active member of the National Renderers Association and other industry organizations. John is the major shareholder of Rock Removal Resources LLC and Sand and Sun LLC, both of which he has participated at a senior management level. He has served on numerous board positions, both business and charitable. He is currently serving on Pro Con – a national paper converting business, Jo to Go – a franchise coffee distributor, FVMT – a metal fabrication business. John earned a BS from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and a BA from St. Benedicts’ in St. Joseph, Minnesota.

Julie Couture

Julie is President of Placements Julie Couture Inc., a private holding company with interests both in rendering and commercial/residential real estate. She has served on the Board of Directors of Sanimal Inc. since 1999 and has been an active board member of other charitable organizations. Julie earned a BA in Fine Arts from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, as well as a post-graduate degree from Ontario College of Art in Toronto.

André Couture

Chairman Emeritus

André has held top leadership positions for more than 25 years, leading the transformation of a single-plant renderer into the current cross border company and creating a smooth transition from second to third generation ownership.

Now, as Chairman of Sanimax, he is focusing on the strategic alignment between the management, the Board of Directors and the shareholders of Sanimax. André has served in several leadership roles in the National Renderers Association and the Fats and Protein Research Foundation. He serves as a trustee at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, from which he earned a BA in Economics, at Collège François-de-Laval and also at Fiducie du patrimoineculturel des Augustines, both in Quebec City.

Hani Basile

Chairman of the financial audit and verification committee

Mr. Basile has extensive experience as a senior manager in the consumer goods sector. Until recently and since 2009, he was President and CEO of the Juvenile Segment at Dorel Industries Inc., overseeing many operating entities in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia and South America. From 2003 to 2009, he held a number of strategic positions within that company. From 1990 to 2003, he exercised his skills on behalf of I-Tech Sport Products Inc., where he held various key management positions, notably that of Senior Vice-President and COO from 1999 to 2003.

Mr. Basile is a member of the Board of OPMEDIC Group Inc. (TSX: OMG). A Bachelor of Commerce graduate from Concordia University, he is also a Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Management Accountant

Robert Coallier

Chairman of the Board

The Board of Directors of Sanimax is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Robert Coallier as its Chairman.

Mr. Coallier has enjoyed an illustrious and diversified business career holding executive positions at several leading businesses such as La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (Vice President Investments), C-MAC Industries (Vice President and Chief Financial Officer), Molson Coors (Vice-President Executive Development and Global Affairs) and Dollarama (Chief Financial Officer), after which in 2012 Mr. Coallier joined Agropur as its Chief Executive Officer, a position he held up until 2019. Mr. Coallier sits on the Board of Directors of Stella-Jones and has been the recipient of several industry awards and honours.

Martin Couture

Holding a Bachelor degree in Economics from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, Martin is a creative, forward-thinking and charismatic leader. He combines strong leadership skills with extensive operational experience.

Since joining Sanimax in 1989, through his involvement in the Rendering and Restaurant Services units, two core sectors of the family business, Martin has gained an in-depth knowledge of the industry. Since taking the helm of the company in 2009, he has invested his efforts in modernizing the operations and putting corporate values into practice.

Martin was named one of Canada’s “Top 40 under 40”, a Caldwell Partners award, in 2007, and received the Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2008. He is an active member of the National Renderers Association, the professional association of the rendering industry in North America, and is also deeply involved with the Young Presidents’ Organization since 2003.