Advisory Board

Members of SIFF’s advisory board would review SIFF’s plans and work with its management team to help build strategy, develop execution plans, monitor operational effectiveness and chart long term progress.  Collectively, the advisory board members would provide important guidance and direction to management regarding both day-to-day operations and high level strategic planning and progress.

Yvon LeBlanc, Q.C. – Mr. LeBlanc has practiced law in New Brunswick for more than 40 years, and served as the Deputy Minister of Justice for the Province of New Brunswick for four years.  Mr. LeBlanc has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Business Development Bank of Canada (formerly Federal Business Development Bank) as well as the board of directors of Via Rail Pension Fund.  Mr. LeBlanc has served as legal and business advisor to the owners of some of New Brunswick’s largest and most successful companies in the fish and seafood, retail food service, energy and forestry sectors.  Mr. LeBlanc was born and raised in the small fishing community of Cap Pele, New Brunswick and currently resides in Shediac, New Brunswick.

Dan Lane – Dr. Lane is a distinguished professor of management decision science at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, as well as the chairman of numerous fisheries and coastal zones research bodies including the venerable Canadian Fisheries, Oceans and Aquaculture Management Research Group.  Dr. Lane is among Canada’s most respected and forward thinking fisheries and coastal zones management professionals, and has advised numerous international governments regarding fisheries and environmental policies relating to fisheries and coastal zone management.  Dr. Lane also served on the Fisheries Resource Council of Canada as a founding member, providing advice and recommendations to Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans with respect to fisheries policy and fish stock management.  Dr. Lane was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick and currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario.

Peter Neal – Mr. Neal is the co-founder and co-owner of Neal Brothers Foods, a Toronto based producer and marketer of healthy organic snacks and condiments under the Neal Brothers brand. Mr. Neal, with his brother, founded the company from his home three decades ago and helped grow it to achieve annual sales in excess of $40 million. Mr. Neal is deeply committed to sustainable agriculture and responsible food production, and recently published a book showcasing examples of such food production from across Canada. Mr. Neal was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario where he currently resides.

Millard Roth – Mr. Roth holds decades of experience as the CEO and Board member of many public, private, and not-for-profit organizations, where he developed and executed profitable growth plans and investor exit strategies for an array of medium size enterprises. Mr. Roth’s food industry experience includes extensive work in the agriculture, frozen foods and consumer food products sectors.

As an investor and corporate finance professional with nearly 50 years of experience through his company, Corporate Growth Assistance Limited, Mr. Roth has structured and executed a multitude of private equity investments and corporate acquisitions, developed and executed management team transformations, developed and helped oversee strategic expansion or repositioning plans, and led corporate reorganizations.   Mr. Roth’s extensive experience with both domestic and cross-border investment, board governance and strategic business expansions enabled him to build strong credibility and an extensive relationships network.

Mr. Roth has Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering and a Masters degree in Science in Industrial Management.

Craig Leonard – Mr. Leonard is a former Minister of Energy and Mines and Government Services for the Province of New Brunswick, and has more than two decades of senior management experience as Vice-President of Leonard Corporation, an Atlantic Canadian holding company with transportation and distribution interests.   Mr. Leonard is currently the co-founder and CEO of Eyesover Technologies Inc., an IT software company focused on social media analytics through its cutting edge proprietary technology.   Mr. Leonard was born and raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick where he currently resides.

Stephen Ewart – Dr. Ewart is a biochemist with nearly three decades of marine sector focused experience as a lecturer, researcher, industry consultant and corporately employed scientist.   Dr. Ewart is the former Director of Biology at Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., one of the world’s largest fish oil companies (before its acquisition by DSM) and presently serves as scientific advisor to Acadia Seaplants Ltd.  Dr. Ewart has also held senior positions with the National Research Council of Canada and has extensively published papers in peer reviewed scientific journals and lectured at universities across the country. Dr. Ewart, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Allison, University, as well as a Masters degree and a PhD in biochemistry from Memorial University. Dr. Ewart was born and raised in Salisbury, New Brunswick and currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia.