GEAPS Member Spotlight : Richard Lemoine

GEAPS Member Spotlight : Richard Lemoine

Name: Richard Lemoine

Position and Company: Sr. Territory Manager, FWS

Chapter: Canadian Prairies

Geographic Location/Region: Calgary, AB

Years with company: 8

Years in Industry: 11

GEAPS Member Since: 2016

GEAPS Leadership: Membership Committee, Canadian Prairies Membership Director

How has being a GEAPS member helped you grow personally or professionally?
Becoming a GEAPS member has really helped me grow both personally and professionally by giving me the opportunity to connect with others within the industry and learn hands-on how to develop very strong relationships. I didn't realize when I first joined just how impactful the networking and education provided to GEAPS members would be to my career advancement and personal growth. For this reason, I highly recommend anyone new to the grain and processing industry consider becoming a member and part of the wonderful GEAPS community.

What is your favorite part about working in the grain industry?

My favorite part about working in the industry are the people within it. There is really a sense of coming together to innovate and find solutions to complex problems, always for the greater good. Meaningful relationships are highly valued, and the prevalence of multi-decade clients and suppliers are a testament to an industry that believes we are stronger when we genuinely care about each other's wellbeing and success.

What is something interesting or a unique fact about your company?

An interesting fact about FWS is that our company is focused on heavy industrial construction only, across multiple industries. The types of facilities and infrastructure we build for our clients are generally centered around receiving, handling, storing, processing and shipping both dry and liquid bulk products. We are also one of the few companies with extensive experience within the grain industry when it comes to building facilities within the ports and marine environment. Our marine expertise covers not only the construction of grain, meal or oil storage terminals, but also the construction and commissioning of state-of-the-art ship loaders for efficient vessel loading.

What has been the biggest influence on your career?

The entire team at FWS and the company culture has had the biggest influence on my career and personal development. I had never worked for an organization placing such emphasis on career development, mentorship, and employee wellbeing. Everyone in the company has always been willing to share knowledge and drive home a sense of belonging and ownership, understanding that these elements are the cornerstone of a successful business and engaged workforce.

What is something unique about the grain and/or grain processing industry in your region?

One element that is somewhat unique to many of the grain elevators in western Canada would be that most of the new facilities constructed over the last 15-20 years were designed with a loop track. This allows unit trains to get off the main rail line without disconnecting any train cars, which makes for faster and more efficient grain loading. During cold Canadian winters, it also means that the braking systems on the trains don't have to be re-pressurized, which is usually a time-consuming process and often a source of supply chain inefficiency.