A prudent and savvy leadership team.
Smart leaders. Trusted guidance. From strategy and direction to operations and finance, every important decision is made with care by our highly experienced leadership team.
Village Farms International

Michael A. DeGiglio
President & Chief Executive Officer

Stephen Ruffini
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Ann Gillin Lefever
Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs

Paul Furfaro
Senior Vice President, Strategy

Orville Bovenschen
Vice President, European Business Development/Operations

Patti Smith
Vice President Corporate Controller

Beverly Fowler
Corporate Treasurer

Lofton Barnes
Vice President Corporate Human Resources

Paul Selina
Vice President Applied Research & Development

Jonathan Bos
Vice President Asset Development

Bill Lowe
Vice President Information Technology

Michael Bledsoe, PhD
Vice President Food Safety & Regulatory Affairs
Village Farms Fresh

Bret T. Wiley
Senior Vice President Sales & Sales Operations

Michael Minerva
Senior Vice President Grower Relations Supply Development

Derin Gemmel
Vice President HR Admin & Compliance - USA

Arie Van Der Giessen
Vice President Regional Facility Manager - USA

Dirk de Jong
Vice President Regional Facilities Manager -Canada

Andrew Gigante
Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis
Pure Sunfarms

Mandesh Dosanjh
President & Chief Executive Officer

Michael Lattimer
Corporate Operations

Rob Baldwin
Vice President Cultivation & Greenhouse Operations

Maria Guest
Vice President Brand

Julia Cameron
Vice President Communications & Corporate Affairs

Scott Gapic
Vice President Technology

Kyle Watson
Vice President Commercial
ROSE LifeScience

Davide Zaffino
President and Chief Executive Officer

Brian Stevenson
Chief Operating Officer

Valentine Vaillant
Chief Commercial Officer

Tamara Lovi
Chief Business Officer

Amyn Lechheb
Vice President Business Development

Daniel Simard
Vice President Strategy

Gabriela Loureiro
Vice President Human Resources

Eduardo Gioia
Vice President Finance
Balanced Health Botanicals

Chase Terwilliger
Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Papilion
Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer

Bill Stoufer
Chief Operating Officer

John P. Harloe, J.D., Ph.D.
General Counsel

James Shoeboot
Executive Vice President Technology

Ellese Symons
Vice President Marketing

Mark Grunder
Vice President Operations

Davide Zaffino
President and Chief Executive Officer
His highly valued leadership expertise in banking and real estate has helped ROSE to quickly evolve into a company with robust services in the cannabis industry, including commercialization, marketing, distribution, and logistics — in addition to growing and developing remarkable products. By merging this experience with his passion for Québec values, Davide is creating a company culture at ROSE which is advancing the cannabis business in that province. A Montréal native, Davide holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, he is a father of two and adores ‘the beautiful game’ (AKA soccer).
“Yes, at ROSE we have institutional knowledge and world-class expertise in getting terrific, regulated products to the shelf. What’s better, is that we love what we do,” says Davide. “Working among experts who truly care is a pleasure. It gives me great confidence in our industry.”

Brian Stevenson
Chief Operating Officer
Now passionate about helping Quebecers and Canadians live better lives, Brian embraces his responsibility as an industry leader in the burgeoning landscape of regulated cannabis. He also cherishes his roles as an understanding father of two daughters, reliable friend, and mentor. Despite his busy days, Brian always makes time to share a laugh, a pizza, or an evening of Sunday Night Football.
“It’s incredible how far we’ve come as an industry already,” says Brian. “Everyone at ROSE knows how important their contribution is to this. We use that positive spirit to help create meaningful products, trusted relationships, and innovative ways to be better than we were yesterday.”

Valentine Vaillant
Chief Commercial Officer
Originally from France and living her best life in Montréal, Québec, Val holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University in International Business and Marketing, a Digital Marketing Certification from General Assembly as well as a Design Thinking Certification. She’s also a certified yoga teacher, an avid reader, and is crazy about Nutella.
“I am proud of our team and our partners,” says Val. “Our industry has an opportunity to create measurable positive change. And we’re doing it. Putting real value on the strong, intelligent female voices across our industry is a big reason why, especially in the boardroom.”

Tamara Lovi
Chief Business Officer
Topping her list of many key leadership roles is being a proud mother to her teenage daughter. An avid traveler, Tamara is always keen to get outside — namely in her kayak, on her bicycle, or cross-country skis.
“For me, it really is about purpose. With our brands, in our business, even in our personal lives, it’s important to understand why we do the things we do. At ROSE, we understand deeply. This is how we make decisions and find solutions which can influence people in a positive way.”

Amyn Lechheb
Vice President Business Development
His leadership experience comes from roles as an actuary, analyst, project investment advisor, even a lecturer in real estate valuation. And yes, when it comes to business development, Amyn’s CV is as diverse as it is valuable. The cannabis enthusiast and world traveller has an MBA at HEC Montreal, which helped carry him to key roles in the entertainment industry (Cirque du Soleil and Lune Rouge), real estate, renewable energy venture capital, and education.
“I have a deep desire to keep learning,” says Amyn. “It’s my mission to always find better ways to guide amazing teams in their development and diversification. Working with the talented people at ROSE and among our partners helps create opportunities to bring the cannabis industry where it should go.”

Daniel Simard
Vice President Strategy
Daniel’s work as the ROSE representative for the Quebec Cannabis Industry Association, continues to advance the values of Québec culture and business while prioritizing the needs of communities in the province — something he believes in deeply.
“I bring people together,” says Daniel. “It really is my passion to unite great teams in efficient, innovative, and collaborative ways. This is how we bring value-added strategies to achieve the best profitability results at ROSE. When people have the desire to see what they are capable of, then I’m committed to them all the way.

Gabriela Loureiro
Vice President Human Resources
Well-traveled and formally educated in industrial psychology, Gabi brings a diverse range of global experience to the team after starting her career in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is also a mentor for women seeking professional growth as a passionate member of the International Society of Female Professionals.
“It’s empowering to be part of this very talented team,” says Gabi. “We work hard to shape our industry. Making that work fulfilling and rewarding for people helps spread more joy in our lives. We are all committed to building this culture at ROSE — as equals working together.”

Eduardo Gioia
Vice President Finance
Trilingual in English, French and Italian, Eddie is a Chartered Public accountant (CPA), with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, a major in Accountancy from Concordia University in Montreal.
“I believe in opportunity,” says Eddie. “For our people, for our business, and for the industry. By combining awesome strategy with accuracy and timeliness, our whole team can have the right tools to keep being great at what we do. It’s as rewarding as it is exciting.”

Chase Terwilliger
Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Papilion
Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer

Bill Stoufer
Chief Operating Officer

John P. Harloe, J.D., Ph.D.
General Counsel

James Shoeboot
Executive Vice President Technology

Ellese Symons
Vice President Marketing

Mark Grunder
Vice President Operations

Mandesh Dosanjh
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mandesh approaches leadership with a focus on company culture, which he views as critical to a company’s long-term success. With Pure Sunfarms, he aspires to set the tone across the industry. Much of his success can be attributed to his demonstrated ability to build trust and inspire performance within the organization.
Mandesh holds an Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Toronto and an Executive Education and Financial Literacy certificate from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Michael Lattimer
Corporate Operations
Michael has always loved building new things and believes in building improvements as a collective team. He believes when you’re building, growing in size and creating high-performing teams, it’s important to do it in a way that embraces culture as well as results.
Michael holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Toronto, and a Professional Engineering (P.Eng.) certification.

Rob Baldwin
Vice President Cultivation & Greenhouse Operations
He is passionate about everything he grows, and when transitioning his growing focus from vegetables to cannabis, he was excited for a new chapter. Rob’s unique journey has given him over two decades of invaluable experience managing greenhouse operations in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. His knowledge and understanding of the land and growing conditions, paired with his hands-on growing expertise is at the heart of the Pure Sunfarms greenhouse.
As a seasoned grow expert and a leader, Rob continues to mentor and guide a new generation of greenhouse growers in the evolving cannabis industry. Together, with his team, they continue to learn, innovate, and build upon the existing legacy and reputation of BC-grown cannabis.

Maria Guest
Vice President Brand
Maria is passionate about driving brand growth and leverages her expertise to inform all aspects of brand marketing, including strategy, planning, positioning, brand portfolio management, communication, market research and consumer insights, innovation and new brand development. Coming from the alcohol industry, Maria sees endless opportunities within the cannabis market to develop new products and fresh campaigns that resonate with consumers.
She is also personally invested in building an organization and brand that is driven by purpose. She is proud of Pure Sunfarms’ progressive approach to company culture, and continues to lead and inspire a strong, dedicated team.
Maria holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia.

Julia Cameron
Vice President Communications & Corporate Affairs
Born and raised in British Columbia, and with roots in BC’s Fraser Valley, Julia is excited to be evolving the narrative of BC bud in the legal market. Julia was drawn to Pure Sunfarms’ vision from the beginning and continues to passionately drive its story forward as Canada’s leading cannabis brand.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Psychology from UBC, a Diploma in Marketing Management, Communications from BCIT, and an Associate Certificate in Mediation from BCIT. She also holds a certificate in Public Participation from IAP2.

Scott Gapic
Vice President Technology
Scott recognizes the important relationship between people and technology, and firmly believes that everyone at Pure Sunfarms plays a part in the technology journey. Scott was drawn to the value-driven culture at Pure Sunfarms and leads by cultivating a trusted and safe space for team members to learn, grow, and be their authentic selves. He sees every day as a learning opportunity to identify new and exciting ways that technology can transform day-to-day operations. As a collaborative team, Scott looks forward to the integral role technology will play in supporting the continued growth of the organization.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University of Technology.

Kyle Watson
Vice President Commercial
Kyle holds a proven track record of increasing sales, driving share growth, and propelling profitability and efficiencies. He has a natural affinity for digging deeper and inspires his teams at Pure Sunfarms to understand the needs of provincial boards, store owners, budtenders and consumers alike. When it comes to product education, he cares deeply about providing the right information at the right time, and always has his finger on the pulse of the latest industry trends.
Kyle holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Human Kinetics and Business Management from the University of British Columbia.

Bret T. Wiley
Senior Vice President Sales & Sales Operations
As of July 1982, he relocated to work for the newly formed California Vegetable Division of Dole Corporation in Long Island, New York. He held a variety of roles over the next 10 years, rising to become the division's Senior Regional Sales Manager. Bret was responsible for Sales and Marketing of over 25 different vegetable commodities from the West coast and Idaho to the Northeast region of the United States and Canada.
From 1995 to 1998 Bret worked for Fresh World Farms, a division of DNA Plant Technology, becoming their newly formed Tomato product manager overseeing their tomato sales out of Florida, Holland, and Mexico. In 1997 he was promoted Vice President of Sales and Marketing along with maintaining his role as Tomato Product Manager, growing the sales revenue from $1 million to $31 million in just over two years.
His tenure with Village Farms began at their former King George, VA. location, and he is now the SVP of Sales and Sales Operations for the company. He graduated from Ohio University with a B.S. in Communications in 1981.

Michael Minerva
Senior Vice President Grower Relations Supply Development
In his early years at Village Farms Michael worked in the Development Division as part of a team that developed, financed and constructed greenhouse projects in Ft. Davis and Marfa, Texas, Buffalo, New York and Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Derin Gemmel
Vice President HR Admin & Compliance - USA

Arie Van Der Giessen
Vice President Regional Facility Manager - USA

Dirk de Jong
Vice President Regional Facilities Manager -Canada
Dirk says, “I am very pleased Village Farms has given me this opportunity and with it the responsibility of overseeing an extremely efficient operation whose technological innovation exemplifies environmental stewardship values.’

Andrew Gigante
Vice President Financial Planning & Analysis

Michael A. DeGiglio
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mike has long believed in sustainable agriculture practices and early on recognized the importance of CEA in this regard, driving Village Farms to be a pioneer and innovator. He has also been instrumental its use of alternative renewable energy sources, which led to founding Village Farms Clean Energy.
Prior to his business career, Mike served on active duty in the U.S. Navy as an officer and jet aviator from July 1976 through January 1983, and the Naval Air Reserves from 1983 to 2001, retiring at the rank of Captain with the United States Naval Reserve. Michael received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science and Aviation Management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Stephen Ruffini
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Ann Gillin Lefever
Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs
In addition to Village Farms, Ms. Gillin Lefever advised several other organizations on governance and financial strategies while dedicating time to her family, whom she describes as her life-mentors. Her prior professional experience includes roles in the Equities Division management teams of Barclays Capital and Lehman Brothers, where she was Head of the Institutional Sales Team for four years. She also developed a business model, Desk-Based Analytics, that created synergies between equity traders and institutional clients and led to increased market share and profitability through innovative content. As a Senior Equity Research analyst covering Consumer Products at both Lehman Brothers and Sanford Bernstein, Ann won many awards for ground-breaking coverage. Ms. Gillin Lefever holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Georgetown University and an MBA from The Wharton School. Currently, she sits on Georgetown University McDonough School's Board of Advisors as a member of its Executive Committee.

Paul Furfaro
Senior Vice President, Strategy
The ambiguity and complexity of a completely new and highly regulated industry is what originally attracted Paul to the cannabis sector. For him, everything has yet to be defined, and he is excited by the prospect of charting a course forward and having a direct impact on what the industry could look like in the future. He is hyper-focused on creating winning scenarios for his team, partners, and stakeholders, as he continues to pursue Village Farms’ recognition and performance on a global scale.
Paul holds a Master of Business Administration from McGill University and HEC Montréal, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University in Montreal, where he majored in international business and minored in finance. He currently serves as a mentor for McGill University’s Integrated Management Student Fellowship and is a member of the Circle of Presidents of Quebec Marketing Network.

Orville Bovenschen
Vice President, European Business Development/Operations
His operational expertise honed through his role in the success of Village Farms’ Canadian cannabis business further strengthens Village Farms’ competitive advantage as the company expands cannabis operations to international markets. Working as a global conduit, Orville’s unique skillset gives him the ability to translate and drive concepts in a way that creates excitement around the future state of an emerging industry.
Orville holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands.

Patti Smith
Vice President Corporate Controller
Patti, a Certified Public Accountant, began her career as an auditor with the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse in Rochester, NY. She earned a BS in accounting from St. John Fisher College

Beverly Fowler
Corporate Treasurer
Beverly is an accomplished Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Youngstown State University in Ohio. She has been a Speaker, Panelist and Advisor for multiple national associations in the treasury financial arena. She brings more than 20 years of experience in Fortune 500 manufacturing and consumer goods for global corporations. She has held various roles in international treasury, accounting, and finance from organizations such as Crocs, Inc., The Lubrizol Corporation (subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway), North American Refractory Co. and Gould Electronics Powerdex.

Lofton Barnes
Vice President Corporate Human Resources
He holds a Master of Business Administration from Stetson University and has been certified by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) as well as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) from the Society for Human Resource Management. He is the recipient of various academic awards by Alpha Sigma Lambda, Alpha Chi National Honor and Scholarship Society and Beta Gamma Sigma for his outstanding academic achievements where he was ranked in the upper 7% of graduate business students worldwide.
He currently is an active member of many local and national organizations such as the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Central Florida Human Resource Association (CFHRA), the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR) as well as the National Black MBA.

Paul Selina
Vice President Applied Research & Development
Paul is actively working with cutting edge technology suppliers to monitor plant responses with new cameras and sensors, modeling crop development, and the application of machine learning and AI to control greenhouse and indoor climate. With this new knowledge, together with a foundation of growing principles and effective greenhouse management, Paul and the Village Farms team is making rapid advances in cannabis production.
Applying the lessons learned at Pure SunFarms, Paul is currently developing new greenhouse designs and cropping programs for Village Farms future US and international cannabis projects.

Jonathan Bos
Vice President Asset Development
He was part of the team that researched/designed and constructed the company’s semi-closed GATES™ greenhouse facility at its Permian Basin facility in Monahans, TX.
Jonathan was also a team member of the group that researched, designed, constructed, and commissioned (from its concept/inception) the company’s pivot from vegetables to cannabis production at the Delta 3 and Delta 2 locations. He, with the Development group, is currently working on VF future US cannabis facility design and processes as well as its other potential opportunities in Europe.
Jonathan also spearheads Village Farms’ commercial utility requirements and is responsible for its Clean Energy division. He was instrumental in the recent rewrite of VF’s 20 pus 5yr landfill gas supply contract with the City of Vancouver and its associated RNG production and corresponding liquid CO2 storage and distribution project.
Jonathan has been with Village Farms for 26 years, is a dual US/Canadian citizen, and is based out of Village Farms’ corporate office in Orlando, Florida.

Bill Lowe
Vice President Information Technology
Bill has over twenty-five years’ experience in information technology across several industries. He has worked with numerous companies as either a consultant or employee including Broadway Video (the production house behind Saturday Night Live), Financial Times, SAAB, AT&T, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and New York City Board of Education. The systems on which he worked have varied in size from thirty to over a million users. Mr. Lowe holds an MS in Data communication, an MBA in Finance, as well as CISSP, CEH, and PMP certifications.

Michael Bledsoe, PhD
Vice President Food Safety & Regulatory Affairs
Michael leads a team of Greenhouse vegetable, and Hemp researchers and growers, to develop safe crop protectant tools and products for both industries, thru the IR- Program. He is the Chair of the IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee and sits on the USDA funded, IR-4 Board of Directors. He has been an active participant and contributor to the Canadian Pest Management Committee (PMC) in the development of Canadian crop protectant products.
Michael has been recognized by multiple opportunities to speak at both national and international symposiums on topics such as Status of the North American greenhouse industry, grower perspectives on new and emerging vegetable diseases and their management.