Roger Larson announced on July 25 that he will be stepping down as president of the Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI) on Sept. 30, 2014, after a three-decade career in the industry and 20 years in CFI leadership roles as managing director and president.
"The time has come for new leadership and after 16 years as president, I can say that I am very proud of what we have accomplished together," Larson said. "I have worked hard to build an excellent organization and I am proud of our team’s accomplishments. With an association staff of 14, Canada’s fertilizer industry is in excellent hands."
CFI said Larson was instrumental in founding the Nutrients for Life Foundation Canada, for which he served as executive director and president. He also successfully initiated several major legislative advances, including reforming the federal tax structure relating to resource taxation and promoting commercial solutions in transportation. CFI said Larson increased the profile of the fertilizer industry, forming a partnership with the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum and establishing a major exhibit – "Potash: Feeding the World" – at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
"Roger has led our association through many changes, and today the Canadian Fertilizer Institute is a nationally and globally recognized industry leader," said CFI Chair Greg Yont. "Under Roger’s leadership, CFI pioneered industry best practices in the areas of safety and environmental stewardship that are now the global standard." Yont said the CFI board of directors will be announcing plans for succession in due course.