And the President’s Award goes to…Our Minnedosa Ethanol Plant for saving millions in feedstock costs

November 2023 – Though it may seem like a distant memory, there was a time in 2022 when supply chains ground to a halt because of labour shortages and changes in demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects were felt globally, and Cenovus Energy was no exception, facing major supply challenges at our Minnedosa Ethanol Plant in Manitoba, which produces fuel-grade ethanol, dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) and corn oil. At the Minnedosa facility, we use plants, like wheat and corn, as feedstock to make these products, and during the pandemic, we were facing a significant feedstock shortage.

When shortages started appearing, Lesley Desjardins, Grain Buying Analyst, and Megan McVey, Supervisor, Grain Purchasing & Material Handling, jumped into action. They moved fast to take an early market position and aggressively secure the feedstock required to keep the plant in production. They were able to shore up enough supply for the plant to avoid interruption to operations ensuring a steady inventory of products were sold through the supply challenges in Q2 2022. As an added benefit, the quick thinking of Lesley and Megan also saved millions of dollars on feedstock when prices for the plants spiked in 2022.

As this was no small feat, Lesley and Megan were recognized with a President’s Award for their efforts. It’s the highest form of staff recognition we have at Cenovus. The awards program was launched last year to acknowledge teams and individuals who exemplify our purpose and values and demonstrate the best of Cenovus through their everyday actions and behaviours.

Watch the video to hear from Lesley, Megan and Avi Bahl, Manager, Minnedosa Ethanol Plant, who nominated them for the award.

Working at Cenovus

We’ve built an engaging, cohesive and comprehensive experience for employees, and our goal is for you to be able to see, feel and appreciate the unique value you bring to our organization throughout every stage of your career with us. The President’s Award is one of the ways we recognize staff for their contributions towards making our company better.

Learn more about working here.