Canadian Food Innovators appoint interim CEO

July 24, 2020, Guelph, Ont. – Barbara Miller, an experienced food industry professional with public and private sector experience, has joined Canadian Food Innovators-Innovateurs canadiens en alimentation (CFI-ICA) as interim CEO.

For more than 15 years, she has been the owner of a management consulting firm focused on strategy, business development and public-private sector collaboration.

She has held leadership roles in the start-up of the Ontario Brain Institute and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, as well as providing strategic advice to organizations such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Let’s Talk Science and Queen’s University in Kingston.

“We are thrilled to have someone with Barbara’s skills and experience join Canadian Food Innovators. Barbara joins at a critical time for delivering the organization’s mandate and role in strengthening innovation in Canada’s food and beverage processing industry,” says CFI-ICA chair Joe Lake, director of innovation and research at McCain Foods Limited.

“Her unique experience bridging public, private and not-for-profit sector expertise is an invaluable addition to our board and staff team.”

Miller is a former deputy minister with the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and served in the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as assistant deputy minister/chief administrative officer and director of the Food Industry Competitiveness Branch.

She has held positions as division president of Ault Foods (Parmalat) and category director, marketing with the Campbell Soup Company.

“The opportunities for food system innovation have never been greater and I look forward to working with the Canadian food industry to respond to national and global demand for innovative food products and technologies,” says Miller. “The agri-food sector is one of the biggest drivers of growth in the Canadian economy and we have a real opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of Canada’s food industries.”

Canadian Food Innovators – Innovateurs canadiens en alimentation was established in 2013 to enable Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing companies to jointly access federal innovation programs. The organization is currently delivering the second national food processing research cluster.