Raised on a 250-acre family farm, Dave grew his first crop when he was 16 and founded Maizex with his wife, Brenda, in 1985. He has a diploma in Agricultural Production and Management from Ridgetown College, and also studied at The University of Guelph. Throughout his career, Dave has been recognized and awarded for his innovation and leadership by many industry and government groups. He is the current chairman of the Agri-food Foundation (Ridgetown Campus) and is a past-president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (now part of Seeds Canada). Dave is also active in his community and sits on the board of the Chatham Kent Community Foundation. In addition to his responsibilities as Maizex’s CEO, Dave owns and manages Soiex Farms with a focus on pedigreed seed production.