Developing leadership capability and advance your future in ag retail

The CAAR Ag Retail Management Certificate is a nine-month professional development program designed to prepare experienced ag retail professionals for greater leadership responsibility within their organizations.

Delivered by industry and subject matter experts, the program strengthens leadership capability, communication effectiveness, business decision-making, and operational confidence in a practical and applied learning environment.

Participants develop the skills needed to lead teams, manage resources effectively, strengthen customer relationships, and represent their organizations with professionalism across the ag retail sector.

This program is intended for professionals with five or more years of experience who are preparing for supervisory, management, or team leadership roles.

                                         

Program Courses and Description

CAAR Connect Sessions
Sessions provide exposure to emerging trends, regulatory developments, applied insights, and practical innovations in the ag retail sector while strengthening industry awareness, supporting decision-making, and expanding professional connections.
Facilitator: Various

Communication Skills That Strengthen Leadership Impact
Develops skills for delivering clear direction, managing difficult conversations, improving listening effectiveness, and strengthening influence across teams and organizations.
Facilitator: Myrna Grahn, CAAR

Developing and Managing Customer Relationships
Strengthens participants’ ability to support sales conversations, understand customer priorities, and contribute to long-term relationship strategies.
Facilitator: Justin Funk, Agri Studies Inc

DiSC Workplace:  Insights for Leadership Success
Participants complete the DiSC Workplace behavioural assessment and learn how communication styles and workplace priorities influence collaboration, while developing strategies to work more effectively with others.
Facilitator: TBD

Financial Awareness for Operational Decision-Making
Introduces practical financial concepts that support stronger business decision-making. Participants learn how to interpret financial indicators, understand cost drivers, and contribute to operational planning and profitability discussions.
Facilitator: Justin Funk. Agri Studies Inc.

Grow Your Brand: Personal and Professional Brand Development
Participants explore how professional reputation shapes leadership opportunity and organizational credibility while developing a consistent leadership presence that reflects confidence and professionalism.
Facilitator: Crystal Mackay, Loft32

HR Management in Agri-Business
Explores recruitment, onboarding, performance conversations, workplace expectations, and strategies for building inclusive and productive workplace cultures.
Facilitator: Viktoria Schuler, CAHRC

Leadership for Mental Health in the Workplace
This session explores the role of leaders in supporting mental health in the workplace. It builds on self-reflection to create practical strategies for strengthening workplace culture, recognizing challenges, and supporting team wellbeing.
Facilitator: Merle Massie, The Do More Agriculture Foundation

Networking:  how to connect tand Build Professional Relationships
Develop practical networking strategies tailored to the ag retail environment. Participants learn how to build meaningful industry relationships, strengthen supplier and customer connections, and expand professional influence.
Facilitator: Crystal Mackay, Loft32

Strategic Business Decision-Making
In groups, participants will apply leadership, operational, HR, communication, and financial and marketing concepts to an industry-relevant challenge, synthesizing their learning into practical strategic direction and contributing to a collective strategy dialogue at the conclusion of the instructional portion of the program.
Facilitator: Justin Funk, Agri Studies Inc

Program Overview

  • Professionals preparing for management roles
  • New or emerging supervisors
  • Mid-career professionals seeking advancement
  • Professionals with 5+ years of industry experience

  • Strengthen leadership confidence
  • Improve financial and operational decision-making
  • Communicate effectively across teams and organizations
  • Manage employees with practical HR strategies
  • Build stronger customer and stakeholder relationships
  • Apply behavioural awareness tools at work
  • Lead teams with clarity and accountability
  • Expand networks within ag retail

The program includes live virtual instructor-led sessions, two mandatory in-person workshops, four selected CAAR Connect Sessions, self-directed learning modules, course assignments, and a final group capstone project.

Participants are expected to attend 100% of sessions. Session recordings are not provided.

Program Cost and Logisitcs

  • Monthly sessions (virtual and/or in-person). Complete schedule on CAAR’s website
  • July 6 & 7 in-person session, including attendance to Seeds Canada evening reception (Saskatoon, SK). Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel and lodging expenses. Seeds Canada reception ticket is included in the program registration fee.
  • November 17 in-person session (CAAR Convention – Regina, SK). Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel and lodging expenses.
  • Attendance at CAAR’s Annual Convention November 17-19 (Regina, SK). A full registration pass to the CAAR Convention is included in the program registration fee.
  • Completion of assigned learning activities between sessions, including capstone project

Program Fees:  $3,500 (plus applicable  taxes)

Spaces are limited.  Register by Friday,  May 22, 2026

Questions can be directed to Lisa Siragusa  lisa@caar.org   or   204-989-9309