R. P. (Ray) Hoemsen, M.Sc., FEC, P. Eng.

President & Managing Director

Ray Hoemsen, FEC, P. Eng., is the former Executive Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation at Red River College. In his 16 years at the college, Ray led the establishment and growth of the applied research enterprise, first as Director, Applied Research & Commercialization for 12 years and since 2016 as Executive Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation, the position from which he retired in May 2020. During his tenure, a robust research enterprise evolved, supported by many corporate, academic and government partners – leading to ~$85 million in capital investments for research infrastructure, annual research revenue of ~$6-million, Canadian and international research partnerships, a consistent Top 10 Canadian Research College ranking, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s College Synergy Award for Innovation to recognize RRC’s decade-long research partnership with Manitoba Hydro “to reduce energy consumption and increase sustainability in the region” and the Colleges and Institutes Canada Gold Leadership Excellence Award.

Ray has specialized in The Business of Science™ since 1986, after first working with Versatile Farm Equipment and the Manitoba Research Council. Recently retired (May 2020) as the Executive Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation at Red River College, he has served as the University of Manitoba’s founding Director of the Industry Liaison Office, the Vice-President/Director of Operations for the University’s Smart Park Development Corporation, and the inaugural Visiting Executive/Manager of NSERC-Prairies; as well as with the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, TRLabs, and the University of Winnipeg. Ray has volunteered with over 70 professional, technical, sports, and community organizations; and continues to serve with boards or governing bodies of organizations such as the EnviroTREC Canadian Environmental Test & Research Centre, the International Society for Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the National Research Council of Canada and the (Manitoba) Vehicle Technology Centre.

Raised on the family farm near Elkhorn, Manitoba Ray has spent his professional career as an agricultural engineer working with Manitoba industry – especially the small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as academe. He has a wide-reaching network due to his participation in consultations, working groups and international trade missions, delegations, and projects in Western and Eastern Europe, Central and South America and Asia concerning agricultural equipment, applied research and innovation, clean technology, manufacturing, precision farming, technology transfer, telecommunications, vehicle technology and winter cities.

Ray holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering (University of Manitoba) and is an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference (1991).