By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
A Leamington, Ontario agri-businessman who was a well-known leader in the agricultural community was shot and killed in Brazil, according to Brazilian media reports.
The man has been identified as Dean Tiessen, New Energy Farms president, married father of four children. Tiessen was on a 10-day business trip in Brazil when he was shot and killed Saturday, victim to what appears to be a car-jacking.
Tiessen has a long list of life accomplishments relating to agriculture. In 2009 Tiessen was chosen to be featured in the Faces of Farming calendar, designed to put a face to farmers who take pride in growing food in the province. Tiessen was also an entrepreneur, and in 2011 he received a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence for growing perennial grass used to fuel his family farm’s greenhouse to grow tomatoes.
Here is a video of Tiessen sharing his passion about his business, New Energy Farms: