Real Leaders 1 | Page 29

Cecilio m. Ricardo W hen you meet Evan Chrapko (YPO Alberta) you can’t miss his quiet intensity. As you come to learn, he personifies the saying, “Still waters run deep.” Maybe it’s the self-reliance that comes from being born and raised on the family farm in a thinly populated corner of North America, in Western Canada, raised by visionary parents who were recently named the International Organic Farmers of the Year. Maybe it’s Evan’s MENSA credentials. Or maybe his Zen vibe is the result of selling one’s self-financed Internet startup after just 30 months for a liquid US$568 million. But it’s the twinkle in his eye that leaves the most lasting impression. You quickly realize that Evan plans ahead in decadelong chunks, thinking about the ripple effects of ‘today’ on the world half-centuries from now. And you’re struck by how this 44-year old is very much a kid at heart, on high alert, ready to learn something new from you. So what’s he doing handling human and animal w