Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Jim Hole’s rise to a successful commercial horticultural enterprise is an inspiring story. It all starts with his mom, Lois Hole, former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, his dad and his extended family selling vegetables as a small family business. His entrepreneurial attitude and the successful planning of his farm and greenhouse operation, hold valuable lessons for business innovation.

Jim and his brother Harry created the world-renowned and award-winning “The Enjoy Centre” in Saint Albert. It boasts a 100-mile diet restaurant, day spa, organic food store, wine store, bakery, deli, convention/conference space, and greenhouses. Jim implemented a self-sufficient eco-system for the facility. This system recycles rainwater and nutrients from the greenhouses to nourish the plants. It also collects renewable energy. Jim implements innovative ideas for his business on a daily basis. He is recognized in Alberta as a leader for growing a business while protecting the environment. He has developed a business model that surpasses all greenhouses in Canada through innovation. It’s now a successful multi-million-dollar enterprise. Jim delivers practical insights on leadership, innovation, farming, future of agriculture, ethical eating, ethical growing, community development, sustainable development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, horticulture, green technology, and philanthropy.

Brett Wightman, P.Eng., MBA, is Manager of Innovation and Sustainability at CSV Midstream Solutions, an Alberta-based natural gas processing company with a portfolio of facilities built and operated in close partnership with the communities that host them. His work spans operational optimization, carbon and emissions management under Alberta’s TIER framework, and the application of machine learning to gas processing operations.

Over the past several years Brett has focused increasingly on the intersection of Alberta’s natural gas infrastructure and the emerging data centre opportunity – examining how the province’s energy assets, engineering capacity, and community engagement expertise position it to host the next generation of computing infrastructure. He writes and speaks regularly on data centre development in Alberta, and advises municipalities, landowners, and developers on project structuring, regulatory sequencing, and community value capture. His particular focus is on how host communities can capture durable value from these projects rather than simply accommodating them.

Brett brings a cross-functional background combining engineering, finance, and business development, with earlier roles in project finance and technology ventures. He holds an MBA from the University of Calgary and is a registered Professional Engineer in Alberta.