Fish plant reorganizes, By LAUREL BEAGER, Editor

The name has changed and there are a few new faces, but the goal of the business is the same — profitability.
The business that began as Koochiching Fisheries under the direction of Barry Barney is now known as Can Am Freshwater Fisheries and under the guidance of Pete Benson of O’Brien’s Consulting, Slidell, La. Benson is serving as temporary operations manager as a corporate reorganization is finalized.
Barney is no longer involved in the business, however investors that he had secured remain involved, explained Kelly DeNucci, office manager.
The reorganization, they told The Journal Tuesday, would protect the investment of the original investors.
“We plan to capitalize on what we have and moving forward with the knowledge of the people that we have working and the additional employees,” he said. “We have no choice but to grow. The demand is there and we want to work with the local individuals from the nets to the fish to the people we buy the fish from to see to it that this business is successful.”
He says the business has the potential to employ 50 people in the next 12-14 months.
The business involves purchasing fish from First Nations band members in Ontario and bringing it to the fisheries plant to be processed and sold. For now, says DeNucci, the company will focus on building a market through local sales. Later, plans could include shipping fish to other locations.
Benson noted that the business has been open for fish sales for some time, but for legal reasons during the reorganization, did not advertise or place signs around the building.
That should change soon. As the reorganization is finalized, Benson said advertisements would seek staff for a variety of positions and would offer for sale walleye, whitefish, northern pike and crappie from its location in the community’s Business Park.
Also on Tuesday, members of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority met in emergency session to discuss the future of the business. (See accompanying story.)
The KEDA had an agreement with Barney, which must be revised to reflect the new organization, that provided the lot in the Business Park for $1. Barney was also involved in a deal with the city through its JOBZ status that called for new construction.
Meanwhile, an attempt at quick growth without full control has delayed the success of the business, according to Benson.
“You have to walk before you can run,” he said. “We’ve geared this back considerably. We think we can run this operation for the next nine to 10 months at a good pace. We’re working our way into it.”
Benson, who says he’s spent time throughout his life in International Falls, says he plans to work with the business for the next month or two as he hires the right people for key positions. Then, he says, he’ll retire.
Benson, who is from Duluth, says he has in the past worked on environmental issues, but has been brought in by investors to work with employees “and try to groom this company into a very profitable and successful business.
“I have a lot of faith in this company and I am certainly sure it can do it,” he said. That faith, he said, is based on three factors: the availability of fish; good relationships with the First Nations members; and a customer base for the International Falls site.
Support from the community has been strong, Benson said.
Relationships Barney established with First Nations members, who the company will contract with for fish, has carried through in the reorganization, Benson and DeNucci said.
Barney could again be involved in the business in the future, Benson added.
Meanwhile, the company was in the process of expanding when the reorganization began. That has been put on hold for now.
“Just watch, you’ll see different signs up, one on the highway,” Benson said. “The grounds have begun to take on a new look and will be straightened up.”
The Can Am Freshwater Fisheries can be contacted at 285-7000.