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Our Investment Team

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  Ross Bricker, President & CEO

  rbricker@avacltd.com full contact info

  Ross is the President and CEO of AVAC Ltd, and has over 25 years of experience working with and investing in early stage technology companies and in the agriculture and food industry. His investment experience ranges from private angel through corporate investment and debt financing, as well as fund-of-fund venture capital investment management. Ross also has worked in the areas of industry development and policy, and molecular biology research. Ross has served as a director for a number of early stage companies and not-for-profit organizations, and is currently a director with the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA), BioAlberta and several private companies.
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  Mark Carlson, Vice President, Investment

  mcarlson@avacltd.com full contact info

  Mark has conducted operational work and strategic planning for emerging technology companies over the past 10 years, with a special emphasis in venture capital investment, corporate finance and valuation. In all cases, investments were early stage extending through the software, life science, agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Mark holds an MBA, is an avid runner and has comprehensive, hands-on knowledge of irrigated crop and cow-calf production based on his southern Alberta farm up-bringing.
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  Warren Bergen , Vice President, Corporate Development

  wbergen@avacltd.com full contact info

  With over 15 years of experience in the technology industry Warren brings a breadth of experience that spans star-up and growth stage sales & marketing, finance and venture capital investment. His background illustrates a highly relevant blend of entrepreneurship and early stage investment experience spanning angel, venture capital, and public market. In technology operational roles, his experience includes IT sales and marketing leadership, integration contracts, and channel development. He has also been instrumental in the capital raise for a number of technology companies. Warren holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
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  Wendy Lam, Senior Investment Manager

  wlam@avacltd.com full contact info

  Dr. Wendy Lam is a highly motivated scientist and manager with an entrepreneurial approach. With a 20 year track record of supporting innovation in university, government and industry environments, Dr. Lam has focused on building research collaborations, enhancing technology transfer and commercialization, facilitating partnerships and managing high performance teams. Dr. Lam has applied this experiences and skills at Alberta Ingenuity, University of Alberta, Western Economic Diversification and Natural Resources Canada. Wendy has a Ph. D. in physical chemistry from the University of Alberta and a BSc. in chemistry from the University of Western Ontario.
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  Jacques LaPointe, Senior Investment Manager

  jlapointe@avacltd.com full contact info

  Jacques has a strong history of launching and managing innovative technology products into global markets. Jacques has over 15 years of Product Management, Marketing, Business Development, Operations and Technical experience predominantly in the mobile software, telecommunications products and engineering consulting with companies such as Zi Corporation, Nortel Networks, Interalia, QSound Labs and private engineering. In addition, Jacques also had the unique opportunity to work for the 1988 Calgary Olympic Organizing Committee as a planner. Jacques has a Masters Degree in Business and Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a Professional Engineering designation. Jacques joined AVAC in January 2008.
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  Craig Urton, Investment Manager

  curton@avacltd.com full contact info

  Craig joined AVAC in May 2006 as an investment manager for new and enhanced food products. Craig has a B.Sc. in Agriculture and an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan . His educational background was further developed into practical applications through a two-year technology commercialization internship where he participated in the commercialization and marketing of early stage agricultural science research. Within this internship, Craig worked with a research institution technology transfer office, venture capital firm, and SME (Small to Medium sized Enterprise). Upon completion of the internship program, Craig's professional track continued in the life science industry where he worked with a nutraceutical/functional food start-up company and a clinical research organization.
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  Martin Vetter, Investment Manager

  mvetter@avacltd.com full contact info

  Martin joined AVAC in November 2008, and brings a strong background in product planning and commercialization to AVAC’s Investment Manager team. Martin has over 15 years in Product Management and related roles with a number of companies including Acceleware, Hemisphere GPS, Novatel Wireless and Nortel; in high performance computing, GPS and telecommunications industries; and addressing market needs such as reducing time for RF product development, asset tracking, and mobile data communications. Martin has Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and Masters of Business Administration degrees.
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  Jim Hardin, Investment Manager

  jhardin@avacltd.com full contact info

  Dr. Hardin joined AVAC as an investment manager in September of 2006. Prior to coming to AVAC, Jim spent over 13 years in academics and the biotechnology industry. Jim has a B.Sc. in Zoology and a Ph.D. in Gastrointestinal Physiology and brings a broad background in life sciences to the organization. He has published over 100 patents, book chapters, full articles and abstracts in the area of gastrointestinal physiology and animal models of infectious disease, thus lending an extensive background in life sciences to AVAC.
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  Ashley Green, Analyst

  agreen@avacltd.com full contact info

  Ashley Green has been working with AVAC since 2008. Prior to working with AVAC, Ashley worked with National Wealth Management firm. She graduated from the University of Calgary in 2007 with a BA in General Studies and is currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce as well. Ashley currently looks at the new investments presented to AVAC.

Long Term Sustainability

"We continue to be focused on the health of our organization and contributing to the future success of the Province of Alberta."
~ Art Froelich, Chairman of the Board

Meet the AVAC Board Members