Contest Judges

Born in 1951 in Delisle, Saskatchewan, Gerry was raised on the family farm. His family later moved to Rosetown, SK, where Gerry graduated from St. Joseph's Separate School. Entering the workforce right after graduation, Gerry's endeavours have included co-ownership of a community newspaper and general contracting. He worked in sales before returning to the family farm, where he farmed grain and raised ostrich.

Long involved in provincial politics, Gerry took interest in federal politics in 1989. Gerry held various positions on the local constituency board for the Reform party until he was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997. Gerry has since been re-elected in the riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008. As an MP, he served as chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food and while in Opposition, Gerry was in the shadow cabinet as Agriculture critic, Public Works and Government Services critic as well as Deputy Whip and Question Period Coordinator. Gerry has long distinguished himself as a strong voice for agricultural interests and in August 2007, was sworn in as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.  In addition, Gerry is the senior cabinet minister for the province of Saskatchewan, and has previously served as Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism.

Gerry has been actively involved in community, serving on the local Economic Development Committee, Knights of Columbus, and as a minor hockey coach. He loves the outdoors including: sports, hunting, fishing, raising horses and working on machinery.

Gerry and his wife, Judy, live at Brightsand Lake, SK. They have two adult children and two grandsons.

Dave Reede grew up along the scenic South Shore of Nova Scotia, where he became interested in landscape photography. Since moving to the Canadian Prairies some twenty years ago, he has developed a passion for photographing agriculture and is recognized as one of North America’s finest agricultural photographers.  Dave has been documenting some farm operations for the past twenty years. During this time he has developed a great respect for farmers and admires their friendliness and work ethic.

Dave’s agriculture imagery is utilized worldwide on an ongoing basis, for a variety of uses ranging from editorial to major advertising campaigns. Dave is also well known for his landscape and outdoor recreation photography. He has an extensive range of photographic credits. His work has garnered many awards including PPAM Photographer of the Year, Kodak Gallery and Fuji Masterpiece Awards. Dave is a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and the Professional Photographers Association of Manitoba.

Jeff Hutcheson is the Sports and Weather Anchor for CANADA AM, Canada’s #1 morning show. Hutcheson will be an integral part of CANADA AM’s broadcast team for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Hutcheson’s career began as college student when he accepted a job as the “good news” reporter for Toronto radio station 1010 CFRB in 1976. Shortly after graduation he started at CKCO-TV in Kitchener. During the next 20 years he worked as a sports anchor, a reporter, a producer, a program host and writer, moving to CANADA AM in a permanent capacity in 1998.

Frequently on the road for CANADA AM, Hutcheson has hosted over 250 remote broadcasts from destinations around the world including Paris, France, London, England, Dublin, Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2002, he helmed a cross-Canada RV adventure called “The Ultimate Road Trip,” and in May 2009, he spent a week in Australia covering the extreme international job hunt “The Best Job in the World.”

Hutcheson’s travels will continue to Vancouver as part of CTV’s coverage team for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, a role he is well prepared for having covered the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary where he reported on the bobsleigh and luge events for CTV. He is one of the few CTV broadcasters who will have broadcast from the last two Olympic Winter Games held on Canadian soil.

Hutcheson works in his community by supporting various charities and across Canada including Halifax’s IWK Hospital and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada.
 
In 2001, Hutcheson was inducted as a member of the Conestoga College Broadcasting Course Hall of Fame and Preston High School Hall of Fame in 2005. Hutcheson lives in Prince Edward Island and is an avid golfer. He is the author of two books, Best of Canada and Best of Atlantic Canada.