Meet the industry mentors

Mike Manion
Agri-Food Consultant, Agri-Business

Mike Manion has an extensive background in senior executive positions for several of Canada’s largest corporate farming operations and as an owner-operator. He has been directly involved in or responsible for some of Canada’s largest corporate farming operations in 6 of Canada’s 10 provinces.

Currently, Mike is CEO of Agrisco Supplies Inc, an Agricultural Consulting Company. Within this consultancy, Mike is an Executive in Residence with the IAFBC Ag Tech Ramp Up Accelerator and occupies agriculture-focused advisory roles with organizations including the Pitt Meadows Agriculture Advisory, Metro Vancouver Agriculture Committee (current chair) and past Ministers Agricultural Advisory Council.

David Leger
President & CEO, H2 Portable Power Corp.
Founder & CEO, Loop Energy Inc. (2000-2016)

David is a lifetime Chilliwack, BC resident with a unique history of innovation and entrepreneurship.

As the founder and CEO of several companies spanning folding tools to leading-edge hydrogen fuel cell technology, his journey has provided many of the practical lessons and skills required to create, develop and realize new innovations through to commercialization.

In 2000, David founded Loop Energy Inc., a hydrogen fuel cell engine developer and manufacturer that listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2021. Loop’s patented fuel cell technology provides for industry leading power, efficiency and durability. www.loopenergy.com.

In 2020, David founded H2 Portable Power Corp., a Chilliwack based portable and stationary zero-emission generator developer and manufacturer. Using Loop’s fuel cell technology, H2 Portable is focused on replacing diesel generators with hydrogen fueled, fuel cell powered generators, and is assembling the necessary infrastructure and logistics required to support fleet deployments.

David served as CEO of Loop Energy from 2000-2016 and currently serves as President & CEO of H2 Portable Power Corp. He is a recipient of the 2015 Delta Management Clean16 Award for his contributions to sustainable energy innovations and he also served on the board of the Canadian Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association from 2011 to 2021.

Michael Parr, PhD
President and Chief Scientific Officer, Sitka Biopharma

Michael Parr is the President and Chief Scientific Officer of Sitka Biopharma. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, Dr. Parr has played a key role in developing and guiding a number of programs into clinical trials. His experience spans a variety of technologies, ranging from biologics to drug and gene delivery systems, as well as diverse therapeutic areas such as neurodegeneration, inflammation, and oncology. Prior to founding Sitka, Dr. Parr spent 6 years as the Director for Commercial Project Development at CDRD Ventures Inc. (CVI), where he was responsible for developing and managing the CVI portfolio.

From 2006-2008, he served as Program Manager at Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, guiding two late-stage novel biomaterial-based drug products in oncology and pain indications toward IND submissions. Previously, Dr. Parr served in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility during his 7 years at Biogen-Idec, most recently as Associate Director of Oncology. During his tenure at Biogen-Idec, Dr. Parr played central roles in bringing his project through research and into clinical trials, as well as being an important member of several late stage development and translational medicine teams. Dr. Parr earned a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of British Columbia and completed post-doctoral training at Harvard University.