b"JOHN GRIFFIN has always been knownthe operation, on target with its financesnortheastern United States.as the guy that people can rely on to helpand the fine details of how it should run,The farm was initially started by out. Over the years hes been called onVanderZaag explains. John is not reallyGriffins father Wilfred in 1947. Griffin to volunteer for a number of associationan international man. But he's really thebecame involved in the family business boards and he has always been the one toperson who helps keep the home firesin 1987 after graduating from Saint Marys step up. burning properly. University with a bachelor of commerce I guess its a way of life I didn't thinkGriffins assistance on the business sidedegree. it was a lot, I did it over 20 or 30 years,for WPC isnt that surprising consideringAt first it was mainly a warehouse. Griffin explains in a phone interview. his job on his familys farm.And then mainly they patched for other Over the years he has served onGriffin is the president of W.P. Griffinoperators. And then they started to grow numerous groups from agriculturalInc., a potato farming and packagingsome (potatoes), and they've got growing associations to local community clubs.business in Elmsdale, P.E.I. They farmmore and more, Griffin explains.Some of these include being a board4,500 acres of crops with 1,850 acres ofGriffin and his brother, Peter, ran the member for the Prince Edward Islandfresh potatoes with a few contracted tofarm together, expanding it, until Peters Agricultural Insurance Corporation,Cavendish Farms, along with having aretirement in 2017. Griffins son Colton president of the Rotary Club of500 head cattle feedlot which they growis the current vice president of the farm, Summerside, a director with the P.E.I.barley, wheat, and hay for. They packhis brother-in-law Troy Smallman is the Federation of Agriculture, president oftheir own fresh potatoes, along with somefarm manager, and Smallmans children, the P.E.I. Grain Elevator Corporation andthey buy, that are then sold in W.P. GriffinAshton Perry and Hayden Smallman, a council member with Farm ProductsInc. packaging in grocery stores acrosswork in management training positions. Council of Canada. the Maritimes, eastern Canada and the His latest volunteering foray is being named as the president and CEO of the World Potato Congress (WPC). Griffin has been a member of the WPC for the past 14 years and served on the board in various roles, most recently as vice president.Being there a bunch of years and playing a good role you get asked (to be president), and I was asked to be that, and I was vice president for a long time, and then (this stint as president will) be my last event, Griffin says.For the WPC board it made sense to pick Griffin as the next president. Peter VanderZaag, who has been named WPC vice president, says Griffin is the longest serving board of directors member, so they group wanted to honour him for his service.Griffins main task as president will be finding a new executive director. Brian Douglas, the current executive director is resigning within the next year, so Griffin will oversee putting together a search committee to find Douglas replacement.For the Congress, he has been a very stable force especially on the management and financial side of the organization. He's been very good at keeping the Congress, SPUDSMART.COM Fall 202237"