My brother and I took over the family farm in 1970. Our family had been on that land for 118 years. There was a lot of history and memories tied to the land but we’d known for a while that we needed to go our separate ways. Reg provided us with a steady hand to come to an equitable solution. I give Reg all the credit there.

Other consultants that I spoke with followed a set-out pattern and said this is the way you have to do things—I ended up with generic advice. Reg looks at your situation, relates to what you’re going through, and finds what works for you. It was nice to talk to someone with experience in agriculture and a banking background. He knows how to ask the right questions without a gov advisor way of doing things.

We had a family meeting—the hardest thing of the whole deal—with everyone there. Some people don’t deal with confrontation well but Reg managed the process and he reads personalities and motives real quick. Before I had to manage all the personalities, but having Reg there set me free. The kids were happier because they weren’t worried about what would happen. After that, my family got Reg to do our estate plan. Two kids don’t farm, they’re married and away—it was a process, but fair in the end. We all talk to each other and help each other out, we have a good relationship. It was a big adjustment, but we are all doing well.

Reg is not your typical consultant. He’s down to earth, easy to work with...we’ll always be friends.

We heard Reg speak at a conference in Regina. We were overwhelmed and didn’t realize that the process of succession planning was so complex. Reg made it all seem easy though, each part of the puzzle came together. He has a story for everything, explaining experiences that he has handled in the past that made us feel at ease, like we were going in the right direction.

And the most important thing that Reg did was highlight how important family was!

We have very high standards for our consultants and Reg is the only consultant that has stood the test of time. He gets what it’s like to be a real farmer, he gets that it snows and that the auger won’t start. We let Reg loose to talk to our banker and our accountant and that was one of the best things we ever did on our farm. He speaks many languages-lawyerease, bankerease, accountantease, and farmerease – and has a story to fit every situation on the farm.

Cor Van Raay
May 30, 1936 - July 29, 2021

Assisting Cor Van Raay was one of the highlights of my career! I used to refer to him as the "Bill Gates of Canadian Agriculture."

He was a leader, innovator, visionary and an amazing man who did amazing things and he told me that this came naturally to him. 

Cor was a cattle and grain farmer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who positively impacted others. He believed in giving back to the community and attributed this to his success in work and life.

You will be missed by many. 

Rest In Peace Cor.

Reg has a special gift - where he can connect with the younger and older generation at the same time. He is very open, honest, and I have never met anyone with the skills that he has. A lot of people claim to do succession planning, Reg is the only one that I have met that can actually put a complete Succession planning document together!

Estate planning can be daunting and frustrating—as a result, important jobs get postponed. As an Estate Planning Solicitor I’ve had mutual clients with Reg Shandro for years, and I’ve seen him do excellent work helping families get together, gather information, discuss family relationships, and make a plan. When Reg’s clients come to see me they are informed and ready to make decisions with confidence. It is never a lot of fun to plan for death. Reg helps ease the discomfort. Clients are generally at ease, smiling and sometimes outright laughing with relief when we meet to conclude their planning. I never hesitate to pass Reg’s card along.

Reg’s method in managing my husband’s concern was nothing short of miraculous. His down-to-earth personality lead to a much better succession plan than I have been fretting over for years.

If it wasn’t for Reg I wouldn’t be farming.

I met with over a hundred advisors and farmers in more than a dozen countries. Reg stood out because of the way his approach to succession puts people first.

Communication and teamwork is critical for family farm success. Reg's passion for family and business unity makes family businesses more efficient and more enjoyable to be a part of.