Vertical Farming Research and Development Expert
We are proud to welcome William Fournier as Montel’s Vertical Farming Research and Development Expert. In his new role, William will work alongside our research and development team and consult on upcoming Montel products for the vertical farming space.
As founder of EXP Horticulture Inc, William is a unique and highly sought after agricultural mind. He has partnered professionally with many Canadian cannabis producers, consulted on everything from licensing to layout, and has helped many bring their grow operations to life—a few from the ground up
over 20 years of experience
You wouldn’t believe it because of his young age, but William began honing his craft more than twenty years ago. While studying horticultural production technologies in Quebec, he worked at a local hydroponics shop. (He even spent a summer inspecting maple syrup production facilities.) After receiving his two diplomas, William went right back into the classroom to study landscape architecture at the University of Montreal, where he mastered technical drawing, AutoCAD, and 3D modeling.
Fresh out of school, William immediately put his skills to work as a landscape architect and then transitioned to a role as a specialized sales representative and technical support provider for a commercial wholesaler of agricultural products, Biofloral. Finally, he became a designated grower, which opened the doors to a job as a master grower at Verdelite, a licensed Canadian cannabis producer and happy Montel customer, and eventually the construction of his very own licensed growing facility.
it's not just a job, it's a passion
Since becoming a professional licensed grower, most of William’s work has also been in research and development, for CANNA, a Dutch growing medium and fertilizer manufacturer. For William, there’s an art in analyzing which plants to select for breeding. His approach has less to do with maximizing THC content or producing a desired psychoactive effect and more to do with the sensory experiences of handling the flower itself—namely, taste, odor, and look. (Ask him about his love of purple cannabis.)
“I live for weed,” William said, with a laugh. “I am very passionate about growing it and breeding it.”
welcome to the montel family
William’s first encounter with Montel products came when he visited The Grove, a Las Vegas grow op where Montel had installed a GROW&ROLL 8P vertical racking system. Not only was the racking memorable but so was his chance conversation with none other than Montel President Jerome Doucet, who happened to be visiting the facility that day. And when it came time to invest in vertical growing systems for his own licensed facility, William knew he could do no better than Montel.
We are beyond excited to bring William into the Montel family, and we look forward to what we will achieve together with his expertise, talent, and spirit.
