For the second time in six months, President and CEO of the Prairie Swine Centre, Dr. John Patience, received a Lifetime Achievement Award; this time at the Alberta Pork Congress held March 12-13.  The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board presented Patience with a similar award last November.  He is leaving his position in June, after 20 years at the centre.

Dr. Patience is a graduate of the University of Guelph, where he received a B.Sc. (Agr) in 1974 and a M.Sc. in animal nutrition in 1976.  After leaving the University, he began his career in Saskatchewan as a provincial swine specialist. Three years later he moved to Saskatoon where he worked for Federated Co-op as the company’s swine nutritionist and then head nutritionist. He held that position for four years before deciding to return to school. He received a Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry from Cornell University in 1985.

Dr Patience was instrumental in gaining international recognition for the Prairie Swine Centre for its practical research and communication of information to the industry. Under his leadership the centre has grown and now has a staff of over 50. He is a well-known speaker and has addressed conferences in many parts of the world.

Also presented at the Pork Congress banquet was the Elanco Pork Industry Leadership Award, which went to Jurgen Preugschas of Mayerthorpe, Alberta, a former chairman of Alberta Pork and currently First Vice-President of the Canadian Pork Council.

Photo:  John Patience