Blair Clark, CPC:
Consultant / Advisor – Saskatchewan

Blair Clark is the founder of Grasslands Recruitment Specialists and has served in a leadership role with the firm since its inception in 1996. He brings extensive management and business development experience across the staffing, manufacturing, training, retail, and agribusiness industries, grounded in firsthand knowledge of Western Canada and its labour market. An accomplished entrepreneur and business owner, Blair has a strong ability to identify and pursue emerging business trends.

Blair is the Past President of the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Association of Canadian Search, Employment, and Staffing Services (A.C.S.E.S.S.), and his Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) designation represents the highest level of staffing industry knowledge and experience in North America. He has also served as Chair of the NPAworldwide Agribusiness Specialty Group.

In his role as Consultant / Advisor, Blair works closely with clients and career professionals to assess corporate, community, and role alignment, providing strategic insight that supports long-term hiring success.

Mike Bachner:
Search Consultant – Advisor – Ontario

Mike Bachner has had a significant presence in the Canadian agribusiness and agrifood market as an executive recruiter since 1996. Raised on a farm and formally trained in agronomy, Mike brings a progressive career background that includes experience in retail, sales, marketing, and management across both plant- and animal-focused agricultural sectors.

Mike brings extensive knowledge of the Eastern Canadian agrifood industry and labour market to Grasslands Recruitment Specialists. He has a proven track record of acquiring top-level talent for leading agricultural organizations across the industry, successfully introducing and placing quality candidates in mid-level through C-suite roles. Much of Mike’s success can be attributed to his extensive professional network and his customer service, results-oriented philosophy: “…whether it’s helping my client hire the ideal talent to fill a critical role on their team or helping a candidate find the next ideal step in their career, my role is to fulfil their needs.”

Mike employs a detailed discovery process to develop a thorough understanding of his clients’ needs and his candidates’ career aspirations. With this insight, he works diligently to ensure precise, long-term fits that benefit everyone involved in his engagements.

Randy Ritchie, BComm:
General Manager / Senior Search Consultant – Saskatchewan

Randy began his career in the executive search industry in late 1988 and, in 2002, co-founded an executive search firm in Calgary, where he served as Managing Partner until early 2020. In September 2021, he joined Grasslands Recruitment Specialists as a Senior Search Consultant and is based in Saskatoon. With the transition of Blair Clark and Mike Bachner into semi-retirement, Randy will assume leadership of the firm as General Manager effective January 2026, while continuing in his role as Senior Search Consultant.

Randy has completed more than 650 successful search assignments spanning executive, senior management, and technical leadership roles, including Company Directors, Presidents, COOs, CFOs, and senior professionals across engineering, geoscience, accounting, finance, and agriculture-related industries. His experience includes working with small to mid-sized organizations focused on growth, succession planning, and strategic talent acquisition. He also brings experience collaborating with investment banking organizations and pension funds.

Randy holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and General Business and brings a strong understanding of organizational growth, governance, and strategic hiring. He is known for his thorough approach to understanding each client’s goals, strategy, and culture, recognizing that successful recruitment depends on aligning leadership capability with long-term business objectives.

Patricia Rawlek:
Project Coordinator – Alberta

Patricia brings more than 25 years of experience across the Canadian agri-business sector and holds a Diploma of Land Management with a focus on crop advisory from Olds College. Her background spans agronomy, crop management, agri-business operations, and financial services, giving her a well-rounded understanding of the commercial realities that shape the industry.

Throughout her career, Patricia has worked closely with producers, ag retailers, cooperatives, financial institutions, and industry partners in roles ranging from agricultural field services and territory management to agri-business leadership and advisory positions. She has also served two terms in various capacities on the board of directors for the North American Weed Management Association, contributing to governance, policy development, and industry collaboration.

With deep roots in agriculture, Patricia values practical insight, credibility, and strong relationships. She is passionate about supporting agri-business professionals as they navigate career transitions and is committed to helping organizations build teams that align with both business goals and industry realities.

Erin Stuart:
Search Consultant – British Columbia

Erin brings a deep understanding of people, science, and agriculture to her work in recruitment. With more than a decade of hands-on experience across ruminant nutrition, research management, and industry marketing, she has built a career grounded in thoughtful communication, analytical decision-making, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.

Her background spans roles in feedlot research, data analysis, strategic initiatives, and brand management for beef and dairy portfolios. She has collaborated with producers, veterinarians, software developers, and industry partners while overseeing commercial-scale research trials, developing technical communications, guiding product strategy, and supporting business development across North America. Erin holds a Master of Science in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph.

Friends and colleagues describe her as someone who listens carefully, speaks with intention, and consistently delivers on her commitments. Erin is passionate about building meaningful relationships and supporting agricultural professionals as they navigate their careers. She is dedicated to connecting exceptional people with opportunities where they can thrive and make a meaningful impact within the industry.

Zoya Smith:
Business Manager – British Columbia

Zoya is a Business Operations Leader with more than 15 years of experience spanning human resources, employment services, systems implementation, and organizational operations. Her background includes psychometrics, employee assessment, staffing and permanent placement services, as well as project management, training, and operational support across a range of industries.

Before joining Grasslands Recruitment Specialists, Zoya held senior operations and consulting roles where she led software implementations, supported complex business systems, and worked closely with leadership teams to improve processes, reporting, and internal workflows. She brings a strong understanding of how technology, people, and process intersect to support effective decision-making.

At Grasslands Recruitment Specialists, Zoya oversees core operational functions including IT, marketing, social media, and third-party vendor relationships. Known for her methodical and solutions-focused approach, she ensures the systems and structure behind the scenes allow the search team to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes for clients and candidates.