General Manager, Greg Tobey

 

I’m Greg Tobey, General Manager of Source Micronutrients, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that there’s always a way to get things done—whether that means fixing something that’s broken or building something from the ground up. Growing up on Little Yarmouth Island with my sister, Bonnie, and our family, we quickly realized that in a place where there are no stores, no bridges, and no easy access to help, you had to be resourceful. You had to figure it out yourself. And that mentality has stuck with me throughout my life, especially in my role at Source Micronutrients.

At Source, we specialize in harvesting and processing rockweed, a type of seaweed that’s vital to the ecosystem and to industries across the world. We’ve been in business for decades, and as the General Manager, I’m responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, making sure everything runs smoothly. But there’s a little more to it than that—I’ve always been the “fixer” in the family. If something’s broken, I’ll find a way to fix it. If something needs to be built, I’ll find a way to build it.

One of the projects I’m most proud of is the rockweed harvesting boat we use at Source. We needed a vessel that could handle the mechanical harvesters we use to gather the seaweed, and I knew the only way to make that happen was to design and build it myself. It wasn’t an easy task, but after months of planning, designing, and hands-on work, we had a boat that could get the job done. And it’s still going strong today, nearly a decade later.

It’s not just about knowing how to fix things. It’s about understanding the bigger picture and finding solutions that work in the long term. Bonnie and I work closely together to ensure Source continues to grow and thrive. While Bonnie is focused on operations, I’m involved in everything from the mechanical side of things to the logistics of our harvests. We’ve got a pretty solid team, and my role is all about making sure we’ve got the right tools and systems in place to keep things running smoothly.

One of the challenges of working in an industry like ours is ensuring sustainability. The harvesters we use are designed to be as environmentally responsible as possible. We take great care to ensure that we’re not harming the environment or depleting the resource. It’s something that Bonnie and I are both deeply committed to, and it’s been rewarding to see how the seaweed regrows year after year. It’s like any good project—when you take care of it, you get results.

At the end of the day, it’s the satisfaction of knowing that we’re doing work that matters. The seaweed industry is growing, and we’re proud to be part of it. But for me, it’s about more than just business. It’s about the way we were raised—on an island where nothing was handed to us, where we had to make do with what we had, and where the value of hard work and creativity was instilled in us every day. Bonnie and I are a great team, and together, we’re making sure Source Micronutrients not only thrives today but is set up for success for years to come.

There’s something special about being part of a family-run business, especially one that’s built on innovation, hard work, and sustainability. It’s a good feeling knowing that the same values that guided us as kids on Little Yarmouth Island are still at the heart of everything we do today at Source.