Leamington businessman killed in Brazil

A prominent Leamington businessman has died after he was shot during an attempted robbery in Brazil on Saturday. According to the news website Veja Sao Paulo, New Energy Farms president Dean Tiessen was in Brazil for 10 days to attend meetings about agro-business. The website www.expat-blog.com reports that he was returning with friend and New Energy Farms CEO Paul Carver from Guaruja along the Anchieta Highway when they came across an attempted cargo robbery. The robbery suspects ordered the two to exit their rental car, the website reports.

It is unclear why Tiessen was shot but one source cited by the website said he was shot twice after moving to remove his seatbelt.

Tiessen was the president and owner of New Energy Farms, which supplies crops like the Miscanthus plant that could be used for biomass projects related to agriculture.

"Dean Tiessen, was an ambassador, a persons who was known, without national appointment, to represent the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers profession and it’s activities and fields of endeavor", said Antonio Gomez of the Leamington Grower. "On Dec.07.2013, we lost one of our industries best. He will be missed, with a heavy heart."

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