CME Awards Programs
Pioneer Award
John Koslowsky - Puratone
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Puratone started out in 1973 as the Niverville Feed & Farm Supply, a small feed retailer. The company quickly became a major animal nutrient supplier within Manitoba.
John Koslowsky the founding President led the growth of the company over the next 25 years as he focused on offering quality products geared to the specific needs of their clients. Encouraging his employees in his belief that serving their community with ethical values and integrity would be the key to long term success and viability of the company proved to be true.
Today Puratone has grown into a diverse world-class leader in the agribusiness.
Peter Pakosh and Roy Robinson - Versatile
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In 1947 two farm-reared businessmen, then brothers-in-law, Peter Pakosh and Roy Robinson teamed up to produce farm implements starting the Hydraulic Engineering Co. located in Toronto.
The two entrepreneurs complimented each other in their abilities; Peter as the builder and Roy as the salesman. Due to high freight costs cutting into profits, they eventually moved west to Winnipeg, both acknowledging this was a great move to serve their farm customers directly.
In 1963 the company name was changed to Versatile Manufacturing Inc., with Mr. Pakosh serving as the President and Mr. Robinson as Chairman. Over the next 30 years the two partners dedicated their time and efforts to building the company into one of North America’s largest farm machinery manufacturers.
The Pioneer award will look back at those people who began a manufacturing business in Manitoba and nurtured it into a successful company.
Criteria used to determine recipients for this award will include:
- Was a key builder of our manufacturing community
- Will have launched a successful company - (the development of a company from start up to significant and sustainable enterprise).
- Significantly increased the employment numbers in manufacturing
- Successfully passed on the viable business to others