Cathy Aker is now food quality and risk management
specialist with the Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing board.
She moved after Fearman’s hog-packing company sold its plant in Burlington earlier this year.
Aker helped an investment company from Florida to improve
the plant’s prospects after it was unloaded by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. She was
head of procurement, which was a key challenge for the new owners because hog
production was in steep decline at the time.
Aker previously worked for Ontario Swine Improvement at
Ingersoll, originating and managing a number of research projects for the
genetic improvement of hogs.
She is the second high-profile female executive the chicken
board has hired. The other is Gwen Zellen who worked for the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
