CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Ivan Noonan has experienced plenty of high-stakes situations, but he confessed he was far more nervous addressing a room of people last month.
The former general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board was among three recipients of industry appreciation awards Feb. 19 at the P.E.I. Potato Conference.
The others were Jack Reddin, founder of Reddin Farm Equipment in Stratford, which merged with Green Diamond Equipment in 2016, and David Scales, who purchased Island Fertilizers Ltd. from his father, Austin, in 1980 and oversaw its expansion and growth on and off the Island.
Noonan said he felt others were more deserving than him, including the two men he shared the stage with.
“They’re both true gentlemen in the industry. They both were very dedicated to the farmers,” he said of Reddin and Scales.
Noonan, an Albany native, dealt with many issues during his 14 years at the helm of the potato board — none bigger than the potato wart crisis of 2001.
