LONDON — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced the appointment of Perry Wilson as vice-president of operations in Ontario, following the retirement of his predecessor John Geurtjens.
Wilson has over 15 years of experience leading a variety of teams at FCC, in a province with one of the most diverse and dynamic agriculture and food industries in Canada.
Before his latest appointment, Wilson was the senior director of FCC’s London district in Ontario. He grew up on a hog farm in Oxford County, near Uniondale, and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Guelph’s Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program. He now lives near Denfield, in Middlesex County, and will lead the Ontario team of 170 employees from FCC’s London office.
“My vision for FCC in Ontario is to continue to grow and evolve with the industry by building on our great relationships, understanding our customers’ needs and delivering value,” Wilson said. “We will continue to be an industry leader and support all sectors and all sizes of enterprises at all stages of maturity. My predecessor, John Geurtjens, has left FCC Ontario in great shape. We have seen consistent growth and innovation in Ontario’s agriculture industry, thanks to the great people who work hard every day to put food on our tables. I look forward to meeting farm and business operators in person in the near future.”
As John Geurtjens gets ready to enjoy his retirement, he reflects on his nearly 41 years of service with FCC.
“When I started, interest rates were high and crop prices were low,” Geurtjens recalled. “I enjoyed numbers and working with people. It was a good match with my interests, and what better way to see what farmers are doing than to go visit them and see if see if FCC could help finance their dreams.”
Geurtjens worked through some of the most difficult times the agriculture industry has ever experienced during the 1980s, a period that laid a foundation of resilience that has served him well since as a lender and as a leader at FCC.
“In the 1980s, there were a lot of difficulties and financial ruin along the way, but we came out of that and farmers knew they should be diversifying,” Geurtjens said. “This is still a good advice for today’s farmers and the future is vibrant and positive for agriculture and agribusiness in Canada. I wish all the best to Perry, my successor.”
