MacEwan University welcomes Angela Santiago, co-founder and CEO of The Little Potato Company Ltd., as the university's 38th Allard Chair in Business. Individuals selected for this honorary position possess exemplary business acumen, demonstrate remarkable leadership skills and have made significant contributions to the community.
"Angela has the vision and belief in the wider community that is so important to see in today's entrepreneurs," says Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor. "She holds dear the belief that everyone deserves healthy, nutritious food. And, not surprisingly as a leader in agriculture, innovation and sustainability are vitally important to her as well. MacEwan is proud to welcome Angela to this position and we look forward to the year ahead."
During her year-long appointment, Santiago will meet with students and faculty members during classroom visits, lectures and special events so that she can share her expertise and experiences with a wide audience.
"What a thrill and honour it is to be named the 38th Allard Chair in Business by MacEwan University," says Santiago. "I am so grateful for this acknowledgement and the opportunity to share my experiences with students, to engage with the community and I'm excited to connect with the next generation of business leaders."
MacEwan will officially celebrate Santiago's appointment at an event in February.
Past Allard Chairs include leaders such as: Kristina Botelho, Cam Naqvi, Bill Comrie, Simon O'Byrne, Teresa Spinelli, Irv Kipnes, Naseem Bashir and John Cameron. Each chair is an exceptional member of the Edmonton community and has brought something unique and personal to MacEwan during their time as chair.
About Angela Santiago
Angela Santiago co-founded The Little Potato Company Ltd. with her father, Jacob Vander Schaaf, a Dutch immigrant who longed for the tasty little potatoes' of his youth.
After graduating from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Santiago was intrigued when her entrepreneurial father asked her to help bring his idea of little potatoes to fruition. In 1996, the two began with a one-acre plot of little potatoes which were grown, washed by hand and then sold at local farmers' markets. Local chefs, consumers and retailers loved the potatoes so much that the little company soon grew. Today, partnered with family farms across North America, The Little Potato Company potatoes are sold in more than 20,000 stores across Canada, the USA and Mexico.
The belief that everyone, everywhere deserves healthy, flavorful and nutritious food drives Santiago and her team to focus on developing efficient and sustainable ways to grow their potatoes. It also guides innovation as they strive to constantly improve all details of the product, from breeding new varietals to packaging. Her quest for new potato varieties takes her to regions of the world where potato roots run deep, with breeding programs in South America, Europe and Canada. The results are demonstrated by providing consumers with unique and proprietary potatoes in an array of colors and flavors.
Santiago has earned honors from a number of organizations, including: Top Produce Person of the Year (Ontario Provincial Marketing Association); Top Forty Under Forty in Canada (2011); Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Ernst & Young, 2012); Business in Edmonton Leader (2015); Alberta's Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (2016); Top 10 Produce Women in Canada (2021); Top Women in Grocery Award (Progressive Grocer, 2021); King's University Distinguished Alumni Award (2021); and Canada's Best Private Boards (2024).
