Agriculture team

Dan is responsible for leading the global water team of the firm’s timberland and agriculture businesses by working closely with investment and property management functions to develop and execute the water investment, policy, and operations strategy. Prior to joining the firm, Dan was a principal at Aither, an Australian consulting firm, where he led the rural water and water markets consulting practice area. 

• Education: First Class Honours, B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies—Environmental Policy and International Relations, Australian National University  
• Joined the company: 2019 
• Began career: 2013 

Dave leads the firm’s farmland acquisition and divestiture programs in North and South America. In this role, he manages a team that focuses on sourcing and disposing of farmland investment opportunities, managing the due diligence and escrow process, and developing strategic alliance opportunities.  Previously, Dave was managing director of U.S. farmland acquisitions and dispositions, and earlier, he was senior vice president at Hancock Farmland Services, providing oversight for the management of the firm’s leased row crop properties in the United States, as well as providing support for acquisitions and sales east of the Rocky Mountains. He was also responsible for oversight of the development and direct farming operations for 2,270 acres (~918 hectares) of cranberries in Wisconsin. Prior to joining Farmland Management Services, he worked as a farm manager for JHUSA. Earlier in his career, he promoted crop protectants to distributors, dealers, and farmers for the company now known as Aventis Crop Science. Dave is a licensed managing broker in the state of Illinois and holds the Accredited Farm Manager designation with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

• Education: B.S., Agronomy, Ohio State University
• Joined the company: 1988
• Began career: 1981

Matt leads the agriculture portfolio management team that manages individual client accounts and commingled funds. Matt is responsible for developing and implementing client investment strategies for agriculture, evaluating acquisition and disposition opportunities, evaluating portfolio performance, developing and implementing acquisition funding strategies, and managing all aspects of the client relationship. Prior to joining the firm in 2016, he worked for Park Street Capital as a senior vice president and controller for its natural resource-focused investment partnerships. At Park Street, Matt’s responsibilities included investment analysis, valuation, operational and investment due diligence, financial forecasting and analysis, and management of partnership operations and reporting. Prior to this, he worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in alternative asset management assurance practice. Matt is a CFA® charterholder and Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the CFA Society Boston.

• Education: B.A., Accounting, University of Massachusetts
• Joined the company: 2016      
• Began career: 2002

Brian is responsible for sustainability strategy, support, and related engagements across Manulife Investment Management’s private markets business. In his role, he directs global sustainability programs for the firm’s timber, agriculture, real estate, infrastructure, and private equity and credit asset classes. Brian is also accountable for developing policies and environmental compliance mechanisms as well as being responsible for government relations concerning business and environmental strategies specific to timber and agriculture. Previously, he was director of policy and environmental advocacy for Hancock Natural Resource Group. Prior to joining the firm, he was director of policy at Forest Capital Partners, where he was responsible for a variety of programs, including forest certification, forest policy, government affairs, public relations, conservation transactions, and ecology support. Brian is a director of Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and member of the Board of Governors of the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and he holds the Certified Wildlife Biologist designation from The Wildlife Society.  

• Education: B.S., Wildlife Ecology, Michigan State University; M.S., Wildlife Management, South Dakota State University
• Joined the company: 2012       
• Began career: 1995

Julie is responsible for business development activities with a focus on capital formation for the firm’s global agriculture strategy. Julie is also involved in new agricultural product development and is a member of the Agriculture Strategy Team.  Prior to joining the firm, Julie was director of agriculture at Conservation Resource Partners and, before that, was the product strategist for timber and agriculture at GMO where she was involved in the development of both timber and agriculture strategies as well as client relationship management and business development with the firm’s Renewable Resources Group. In addition, Julie was an independent consultant in agricultural investment and a portfolio manager with Hancock Agricultural Investment Group, where she served in a number of roles. Julie is a CFA® charterholder and is a member of the CFA Society Boston. 

• Education: B.A., English, Dartmouth College; M.B.A., Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College
• Joined the company: 2018
• Began career: 1985

Brent provides strategic leadership for the firm’s global agricultural property management platforms.  In this role, he is responsible for managing health, safety, environmental, and risk objectives while meeting client needs and maintaining internal profitability.  Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Brent was vice president of operations for the agricultural division at Wilbur-Ellis Company, LLC, where he led the company’s U.S. operations and managed the network of retail and distribution logistics, application, manufacturing, and procurement functions. He was accountable for safety, compliance, cost optimization, operational excellence, supply chain effectiveness, and risk mitigation. 

• Education: B.S., Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis
• Joined the company: 2021  
  
• Began career: 1996

Tricia oversees Manulife Investment Management’s timberland and agriculture groups’ legal team in supporting customary and strategic transactional initiatives and operational, management, and client needs in the investment and property management businesses. Previously, she provided in-house counsel to John Hancock’s North American corporate finance group in connection with equity and debt investments. Prior to joining the firm, Tricia was a corporate attorney for sixteen years, where she provided legal services and advice to clients in all manner of business transactions, including private equity, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and corporate governance. 

• Education: B.A., English and Philosophy, Boston College; J.D., Boston College Law School 
• Joined the company: 2018 
• Began career: 2000

Hugues leads all farmland valuations, financial plans, and farmland analyses for the firm’s global agriculture clients. In addition, he serves as a liaison across diverse functional groups within the organization in preparing, managing, and/or reviewing farmland investment models, property plans and investment analyses. Prior to joining the firm in 2017, Hugues was director of research with MetLife Investments, where he headed agricultural investment research to support the underwriting and analysis for the firm’s agriculture portfolio. Before joining MetLife, he was a senior industry analyst with SunTrust Bank, where he developed a market risk analysis platform for the food and agribusiness portfolios. Hugues holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Financial Risk Manager designations.

• Education: A.D., Farm Management, B.S., Agronomy, M.S., Agricultural Economics, McGill University
• Joined the company: 2017
• Began career: 1993