Ingredion's Strong Team Delivers Highest Quality  

CARDINAL - You know a company is doing something right when it's about to celebrate 165 years in business.

Ingredion Canada Corporation's Cardinal facility is the oldest and most diverse plant in the country and has been going strong since 1858. It produces a whopping 2.5-million pounds of finished goods per day made from corn sourced from Eastern Ontario, including Leeds Grenville farmers, and Western Quebec. On top of that, today Ingredion employs close to 200 on-site skilled workers in various fields.

"We sell to all of the major public companies," says Plant Manager Dave Wilcox, who is proud of his Ingredion team and the company's many food products, ranging from corn syrup, sweeteners and Maltodextrin rolled solids to industrial starch used in paper and cardboard. 

"We are able to do this while supporting local farmers and the farming community. Our focus is on the local people we serve, giving back to the market, our team and our strengths," says Dave. 

The Cardinal site processes more than $100-million worth of corn each year with a 99% yield recovery record. It is the only North American Ingredion plant manufacturing the Maltodextrin rolled solid product. Most products are shipped in bulk truck and rail car - with about 70 transport trucks per day at the Cardinal plant.

"We have a strong history and lineage," he says. Dave and Human Resources Manager Colleen Baldwin note they have had at least four generations of families working at the plant. Colleen has been with the company 29 years and both her grandfather and great-grandfather worked there.

Throughout its century and a half history, the Cardinal facility has proven itself to be strong supporter of community and school initiatives. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cardinal plant employees worked hard to safely ensure production was maximized to maintain the food supply chain. It continues to improve production efficiencies and maintains a world-class safety record. 

A Leeds Grenville resident will be honoured with the Bill Thake Award (Warden's Award) at the upcoming Summit. This year's outstanding nominees are: 

Dermid O'Farrell - Municipality of North Grenville. Dermid is passionate about North Grenville. President and partner of O'Farrell Financial, he has been an active volunteer with many local organizations and charities for 25 years, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation, Kemptville Youth Centre, Ryan's Well Foundation and the Knights of Columbus Sweetheart Brunch, which Dermid founded. He has been a member of the Economic Development Advisory Committee. Dermid most recently served as Chair of the International Plowing Match Local Exhibitors Committee. 

JoAnne Sytsma - Township of Athens. JoAnne demonstrates an effortless ability to inspire and motivate others to her level of community participation. She is known for her giving nature. Organizations with which Sytsma is or has been involved include Climb for Care, Brockville & Area Food Bank, Girls Inc., Career Services, Feed Ontario, 100 Women Who Care 1000 Islands and Our Kenyan Kids. JoAnne and her late husband created The Village Store in Athens and turned it into a downtown hub and tourist attraction. JoAnne is described as a champion for the entire region, making Leeds Grenville a better place to live. 

Derek Ouellet - Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. Derek is a champion and advocate for economic growth and development in the Seeley's Bay community. He retired to the community but was soon opening Ridgway Confections, a chocolate shop helping put the village on the map. His success has been a model to other area entrepreneurs and demonstrates how a local business can find creative ways to contribute to the community. Derek and his wife Cindy Healey launched the annual Easter Egg Hunt to help get families out to explore area parks and the annual Truffle Shuffle 5K walk/run, now in its 8th year.

Susan Warren - Township of Rideau Lakes. Susan works tirelessly to make the history and genealogy of her area accessible to the public at large. The author and retired librarian has been on the forefront of the digitization movement to ensure visitors and future generations can see archives. She's an active member of the Chaffey’s Lock and Area Heritage Society; Delta Mill Society; Elgin and Area Heritage Society; Friends of the Rideau; Leeds & Grenville Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society; and Chair of the Rideau Lakes Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee. Sue is passionate about bringing visitors to the region.

This is the 12th anniversary of the award celebrating a volunteer who has shown outstanding commitment and leadership resulting in economic development and growth of Leeds Grenville. The award is named after the late Bill Thake, who served 52 consecutive years on Westport Council to set a Canada-wide record as the longest serving head of a municipality. 

Bridges to Better Business Awards

Three area business owners have been honoured with awards at the Bridges to Better Business event hosted by the Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre.

Karin Rabuka, owner of No Go Coffee Co. in Kemptville, Meagan Cumming, owner of the Kemptville Stress Relief Centre, and Ujjval Prajapati, of Pizza Pizza Brockville, were applauded at the annual event held October 27 at the Brockville Country Club. 

"I like to take baby steps, so my journey to this point has been long but the learning along the way was valuable," said Karin, who earned the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Karin has been building her fair-trade organic No Go Coffee Co. since 2010. It started with the purchase of a small roaster and selling ground coffee in her North Grenville community. Today she operates with 3-12 employees depending on the time of year.

Meagan Cumming is the recipient of the Paul D. Boivin Memorial Award. She purchased the counselling business in 2020 and renamed it the Kemptville Stress Relief Centre. It provides transformation therapy for stress and trauma with a team of six professionals. 

Both Karin and Meagan are graduates of the Starter Company Plus program offered by the Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre.

Ujjval Prajapati earned the Leeds Grenville Immigrant Entrepreneur Award presented by the Rideau-St. Lawrence Immigration Partnership. Ujjval came to Canada as an international student in civil engineering. While in school, he worked part time at a Pizza Pizza outlet in the GTA near Seneca College.