Alberta Beef Producer's outgoing Chair, Charlie Christie, received a standing ovation at their Annual General Meeting earlier this month during one of their evening banquets.
The room full of producers, industry stakeholders and Alberta Beef Producers' staff expressed their gratitude to Christie from Trochu for all his hard work put into the organization during his two year term.
Christie says the biggest thing he's learned chairing the organization is you don't do it alone.
"None of these things happen because of one individual. There's one individual [who] may have a really good idea, but it takes the whole team to push that thing forward and advance it and get it to bare fruit."
During the AGM, producers voted on some big structural changes, including moving from nine zones to five, which Christie says, are by far a highlight of their work over the past couple years.
"I kind of look at that as a bit of a legacy project," he said. "Our relationship with this Government is for sure positive, and I said it before and I'll say it again, the people are a highlight of the whole thing."
Christie and his wife Rochelle also got a big surprise from the Alberta Beef Producers' staff at the banquet.
The staff flew one of their three daughters, Samantha, into Calgary from the University of Saskatchewan to join the whole family for the outgoing Chair salute.
"Honestly, I was surprised any of my daughters wanted to attend," Christie joked. "It was a huge surprise to both my wife and I, and it's just great to share this kind of thing with your family."
Christie is still a Canadian Cattlemen's Association and will sit on the Executive as Past Chair.
Kelly Smith-Fraser has taken the reins as the new Chair, Melanie Wowk as Vice-Chair and Brad Osadczuk as Finance Chair.
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