How to Finance Your Ag-Business Without Begging Your Banker

About The Presenters

MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP (MLT)

Scott Exner

Scott Exner is a partner and a founding member of the Calgary office of MLT.  Scott has an extensive background in agri-business and providing advice on corporate finance, securities and corporate governance matters.  He has assisted many agri-businesses and producers in raising capital as well as being involved with many innovative projects in the agricultural sector.

Dan Furst

Dan provides advice to small and large companies on how to commercialize and monetize their technologies. He has negotiated transnational plant breed licenses, assisted agri-businesses in developing promotional campaigns, bought and sold rights to agricultural innovations for clients and assisted in the creation of small agri-businesses devoted to exploiting technology.

MLT is an expertise-based, full-service law firm of 110 lawyers serving clients across Canada from offices in Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton. MLT’s intimate knowledge of agribusiness stems from 90 years of practice in Western Canada. working with cooperatives, grain and ag-biotech companies, feedlots, livestock operations, ethanol plants, food processing facilities and producer groups to devise innovative business structures, secure financing, assist with project procurement and construction, and address regulatory and taxation issues. MLT has been a FORTUNE Magazine “Go-To Law Firm” since 2008, and in 2011 entered the Lexpert / American Lawyer Media’s list of the 30 Largest Law Firms in Canada.

MNP LLP

Lori Schmaltz

Lori is a Partner at MNP LLP in the Calgary office and is the Food & Ag Processing Niche Leader for Alberta and Primary AG Niche Leader for Calgary.  Lori has a background in agriculture - from roots on the family farm in Saskatchewan to today as a cattle rancher in central Alberta.  While her focus is on primary ag and food processing, her client base is a mix of different industries mainly in the private enterprise sector. Following the focus of MNP, she is helping her clients succeed and works with them to find the resources and advice required at each step of their business development. MNP LLP is a national firm built with its beginnings in Brandon, Manitoba, agriculture’s main focus. Through solid advice in strategic planning, marketing, valuations, taxation, succession and corporate finance MNP helps to maintain a competitive edge in order to capitalize on new opportunities as they arise.

AVAC Ltd.

Jim. Hardin

Dr. Hardin joined AVAC as an investment manager in September of 2006. Prior to coming to AVAC, Jim spent over 13 years in academics and the biotechnology industry. Jim has a B.Sc. in Zoology and a Ph.D. in Gastrointestinal Physiology and brings a broad background in life sciences to the organization. He has published over 100 patents, book chapters, full articles and abstracts in the area of gastrointestinal physiology and animal models of infectious disease. 

AVAC Ltd. is an Alberta-based investment company that invests strategically in promising early-stage commercial businesses in value-added agri-business, information and communication technologies, life sciences, and other industrial technology sectors, as well as managing an active early-stage venture capital fund-of-funds investment pool. Created in 1997, AVAC has invested and provided guidance to more than 115 early-stage companies based in Alberta. Committing over $113 million of investment to date, AVAC has also supported 38 agriculture research programs and projects, and 3 venture capital funds to date.

Canadian National Stock Exchange (CNSX)

Mark Francis

Mark is a consultant whose business passion revolves around the capital markets.  His current and primary engagement is with CNSX, Canada’s alternative stock exchange for small-cap issuers, as an advisor in Western Canada.  He has also drafted numerous business plans.  Mark has prior experience both in the investment industry as an Investment Advisor, and also as a program review and business analyst with the Province of Manitoba.  Mark has earned the Canadian Investment Manager designation, and also has interests in other entrepreneurial projects, primarily mineral exploration.

Canadian National Stock Exchange is an ideal listing home for small cap industrial, agri-business, technology, resource, and other companies which decide to go public.  The streamlined regulation and enhanced disclosure creates a venture marketplace that is better for companies (savings in management time, fees, and professional expenses) and for the investors as well (enhanced disclosure).  As CNSX does not interfere with proper board governance and decisions, more and more companies are turning to CNSX.  Grow faster with us.



About The Presentation

There are many times when conventional lending isn’t an option.  Your relationship with your banker is important, however, there are many other types of financing available to you when the traditional route doesn’t support your requirements.  MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP, AVAC Ltd., MNP LLP and the Canadian National Stock Exchange will present a unique overview of the various types of financing products available.  The group will highlight the alternatives in actual case studies of agri-business ventures that successfully implemented one or more of the financing options. 

Attendees will benefit from the interactive session by hearing the views of the professional panel as they talk about Angel Investors, Private Placements, Venture Capital, IPO’s, Government Grants, and Secondary Lending.