Rainmaker.Earth Corp. Team
Executive Team
Chris HuntChairman & Chief Executive Officer |
Chris is a 20+ year veteran of investment and venture capital industries with a track record of success. As a member of the Rainmaker.Earth Leadership Team, he excels in securing capital, expert planning, strategic advice, and acquisitions/divestiture. A Canadian-born entrepreneur, Chris has founded and grown multiple highly successful companies in various industries, leveraging his focus, drive, and leadership skills.
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Bob KnightPresident |
Bob is the President of Rainmaker.Earth, having been promoted from Chief Operations Officer in September of last year. He has over 40 years of executive involvement in a diverse range of public and private companies. Bob has international experience, having worked on projects and companies in the United States, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Throughout his career, Bob has developed a strong skill set in technology implementation and adaptation to changing policies or economic conditions. He began his career in a vertically integrated real estate development, construction, and management company, before diversifying his executive experience across the capital markets, technology, and traditional and green energy businesses. Bob’s contributions to Rainmaker.Earth have been significant, and we are grateful for his leadership and expertise |
Matt EngelhardtChief Financial Officer |
Matt is passionate about leading people, building meaningful connections across teams and departments, and helping others reach their full potential. In his view, engagement and accountability add up to a healthy and thriving culture, and he strives to achieve this by using transparent communication and ensuring team members have clarity of purpose and know they are making a meaningful contribution beyond their own individual results.
In his role as Chief Financial Officer, Matt will oversee financial operations, streamline processes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive efficiency. His focus on data-driven decision-making and sustainable growth will solidify Rainmaker.Earth Corp.’s position as a market leader. As finance is a key pillar to the success of the organization, this role is designed to help set a solid foundation of process and discipline in relation to fiscal responsibility, and provide strategic support across the organization in alignment with Rainmaker’s mission, vision and values. Prior to joining Rainmaker, Matt gained over 20 years of experience, building and leading teams in the areas of treasury, tax, financial planning & analysis, strategic sourcing, procurement, payroll, fixed assets and accounting operations. |
Riaan KirstenFounder & Chief Technical Officer |
For over 23 years, Riaan and his team have dedicated countless hours to developing the Agriwater units (now known as Rainmaker). Today, this world-class technology has been successfully installed in thousands of units worldwide.
As a South African-born entrepreneur with a track record of successful businesses, Riaan was the driving force behind the development and operation of Agriwater. In order to take his business to the next level, Riaan joined forces with Rainmaker.Earth’s North American team, leading to explosive growth in sales over the South African market. Riaan has brought his considerable technical expertise to the Rainmaker.Earth team, joining as its Chief Technical Officer in the summer of 2022. |
Business Operations Team
Alex ThompsonVice President, Operations & Business Development |
Alex is a vital member of the Rainmaker.Earth team, having joined last November. His expertise in sales support and customer relations has been invaluable to the team’s success. Alex has played a key role in implementing Rainmaker’s world-class Customer Relations System, enabling our growing network of dealers and agents to provide the highest level of service to our clients. His exceptional dedication and attention to detail make him a valuable resource for both our internal team and our clients. Alex’s contributions to the success of Rainmaker.Earth have been significant, and we are grateful for his continued contributions to the team.
Alex has brought his passion for making a real difference in the world to Rainmaker.Earth, where he will be focusing on creating a world-class customer experience and nurturing the ever-expanding network of Rainmaker clients across the globe. |
Remina PienaarChief Science Officer |
Remina is a highly skilled chemical engineer with a passion for sustainable farming practices. With a degree in Chemical Engineering and a major in Biochemistry from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, she took on a consulting role with the Rainmaker team (formerly Puricare), where she conducted the majority of the scientific research on the Rainmaker’s Advanced Oxidation Process. Remina joined the Rainmaker team full-time in November 2022 and has already provided critical insights into clients’ soil biochemistry. Her technical expertise in developing sustainable and science-based crop nutrition and agricultural soil health has been invaluable to the team, and will continue to make a crucial contribution to expanding the company’s Scientific horizons.
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Renier MeiringChief Agronomist |
Renier is a highly skilled agronomist with over 20 years of experience in consulting for the agriculture industry. He received his degree in Agricultural Studies from Potchefstroom Agriculture College, and has applied his expertise to hundreds of farms with challenging soil conditions, including major South African operations such as Schoeman Farms and Mahela Farming.
Renier has been a valued consultant for Agriwater for the past eight years, providing expert advice on crop nutrition and soil health. In the summer of 2022, he officially joined the Rainmaker.Earth team as its Chief Agronomist, where he brings his wealth of experience to bear in developing innovative solutions for Rainmaker’s expanding client base. |
Paul AdamsLead, Platform Design & Implementation |
With over 25 years of experience in the irrigation industry, Paul is a key member of the Rainmaker.Earth team. He spent 14 years consulting for Agriwater and played a critical role in developing Rainmaker technology to its current market-dominating position. Paul’s expertise in all types of irrigation systems and his deep understanding of farmers’ unique challenges has allowed him to adapt Rainmaker to a wide range of irrigation situations, helping farmers achieve optimal crop yields while conserving water resources. Paul brings his considerable experience and expertise to every project he undertakes, making him a valuable asset to the Rainmaker.Earth team.
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Warren MortonManager, Installation & Operations |
Warren Morton is a key member of the Rainmaker.Earth team, serving as the Installation and Operations Manager. With over 30 years of experience in technical maintenance, project management, and operations, Warren brings a wealth of knowledge to the role. Born and raised in Southern Alberta, Warren has spent his life living and working on farms and ranches in the region, giving him a deep understanding of the needs of the local community.
Warren is highly organized, detail-oriented, and places a strong focus on customer service. He values relationships and is dedicated to building connections with the people using the Rainmaker AOP. His commitment to outstanding customer service, combined with his vast technical skills and knowledge, ensures that Rainmaker’s systems installation and operations run smoothly and effectively. Warren’s contributions are critical to the success of Rainmaker.Earth. |
Brenda HannaManager, Marketing & Communications |
Over the past 24 years Brenda has led creative teams and marketing campaigns to success both locally and nationally.
With experience as a Creative Director in a large advertising agency and then 20 years running her own boutique agency, Brenda’s greatest strength is managing all aspects of the creative process from conceptual development, to design and production, to final delivery – all within specific time and budget parameters. As Rainmaker.Earth’s brand manager and creative lead, Brenda maintains brand integrity across all the marketing initiatives and communications. |
Barend PienaarResearch Manager |
Barend brings his deep passion for agriculture and expertise to the Rainmaker.Earth team, providing a valuable research arm to the company. Equipped with a degree from Stellenbosch University, he began his career as a researcher, delving into major agricultural companies in South Africa.
Shifting focus to plant growth regulators and biostimulants, Barend's role evolved, leading him to become a senior agronomist at a biostimulant company. There, he managed the R&D program, extending technical support globally. Concurrently pursuing an MSc in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Cape Town, Barend's research dives into the impact of abiotic stress on plant metabolomes, microbiomes and agronomic parameters. His multidimensional expertise contributes significantly to Rainmaker.Earth's commitment to sustainable agriculture and innovation. |
Business Development Team
Darren KitzanBusiness Development & Operations Manager |
With over 30 years of experience in technical and construction fields, Darren Kitzan is a performance and customer-driven professional. His extensive background in business development and project management has provided Darren with a wealth of experience he now brings to Rainmaker.Earth in the Business Development department.
As a thoughtful and collaborative leader, Darren is committed to building cross-functional teams to strategize and implement effective solutions. His ability to create and strengthen long-term business partnerships speaks to Darren’s passion for bringing people, ideas and technology together. |
Board of Directors
David J WilsonDirector |
Rainmaker.Earth Corp. welcomed David J. Wilson to its board of directors in December 2023.
Mr. Wilson is currently the President and CEO of Kelt Exploration and is well known as a veteran strategist growing several successful companies throughout his career. Mr. Wilson has over 35 years of experience leading both large and small companies in the oil and gas industry and has earned his reputation by creating long-term shareholder value, managing through market volatility and ensuring his companies maintain a strong balance sheet. Rainmaker.Earth Corp. is excited to have someone with Mr. Wilson’s track record join our Board as his governance and oversight will be invaluable in building a foundation that will allow us to profitably manage our rapid growth. |
Rick StampDirector |
Rick Stamp brings a wealth of experience to Rainmaker.Earth Corp. as the newest addition to our esteemed board of directors. With over four decades of experience in the agricultural sector, Rick's visionary leadership and entrepreneurial spirit have been instrumental in shaping the landscape of pedigreed seed production.
As the founder and operator of Stamp Seeds Ltd., Rick, alongside his wife Marian, has managed close to 10,000 acres of land across multiple locations in Southern Alberta. His commitment to excellence and innovation is evident in his role as the driving force behind initiatives like SeedNet, aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation within the seed industry. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Rick is deeply engaged in philanthropic endeavors, supporting initiatives like the Canadian Food Grains Bank, demonstrating his dedication to community service and environmental stewardship. As Rainmaker.Earth Corp. continues to pursue growth and innovation, we are honored to have Rick Stamp's invaluable insights and leadership guiding our journey forward. |