why us

Our Team

Synergy Semiochemicals can provide solutions for

Surveying for biodiversity
Mass trapping pest insects
Protecting trees and crops
Attracting beneficial insects for bio-control purposes
Integrated pest management

Synergy Semiochemicals, a Canadian company, was incorporated in August 2004. We quickly established ourselves in the industry and have grown to become a leader in synthesis and formulation of bark beetle and wood borer semiochemicals. Our semiochemicals are manufactured in our warehouse under strict quality control.

Our staff have had decades of experience in synthesis, formulation and practical applications of semiochemicals.

image of chemist in Synergy Semiochemical's laboratory

Innovative Multitrap Design
image of multitrap green panel trap

Our library of hundreds of different semiochemicals is extensive and available for your custom designed lures.

We can provide several release device technologies with which to tailor a custom controlled release solution for almost any semiochemical application.

Please contact us and ask how we can help you.

We have several innovative and new trap designs available.

We can provide Multitraps and prism traps for your specific application.

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Synergy Semiochemicals core values:

we take pride in our top quality products;
we believe in ethical business practices;
we engage in collaborative research;
we provide excellent, efficient and personalized customer service

We are here to assist you in finding the best product for your forestry and tree pest needs. Our customers return year after year because of our commitment to provide the right product to you at the right time, with fair pricing and exceptional customer service.

At Synergy Semiochemicals, we don’t use distributors to sell our products. We sell direct to you to ensure you receive the right product for your application.

Our products are simple to use but the best solution for your application may require a customized approach.

We research, manufacture, and test our lures, repellents and traps so that we know which ones to deploy under a wide variety of conditions.

We can quickly advise you and suggest the best products for your application.

Our personalized product support and quality manufacturing has ensured satisfied and loyal customers for over 10 years.

New Multitrap Design with Allison Collar image of Synergy Semiochemicals multitrap funnel trap with allison collar

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We participate in ongoing semiochemical research.

We keep abreast of new research by maintaining contact with the leading researchers in North America. We attend major scientific meetings and work groups.

We actively conduct independent field trials:

We collaborate in field trials in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia
We have dedicated in-house chemists working on improved syntheses of semiochemicals
We design, manufacture and test novel release devices and traps

Synergy is currently involved in a number of on-going collaborations:

The tribe Xyleborini, is a group comprised entirely of ambrosia beetles that are engaged in symbiotic relationships with ambrosia fungi. We have developed a superior lure for X. glabratus (Red Bay ambrosia beetle) and a novel lure for Euwallacea spp (polyphagous shothole borer, tea shothole borer and Kuroshio shothole borer).
We are testing semiochemicals for Spruce beetle tree protection in conjunction with the US Forest Service and the College of New Caledonia.

Some of our past research projects:

We were the first in North America to use monochamol and demonstrate that it is a pheromone component for Monochamus species. You can read it here. Samano et al 2012 Monochamus pheromones CE 144
We tested and documented the use of semiochemicals in a mixed Mountain Pine Beetle/ Western Pine Beetle infestation in British Columbia. This was a successful push-pull strategy using Verbenone and GLV with an integrated approach and aggressive sanitation. You can view the power point summary here: Nicola Ranch Push-Pull 2009

The Synergy Team

David Wakarchuk, 1955-2022

Past President and Founder

David’s interest in chemistry began at an early age while concocting tasty foods in the kitchen of his family’s home in Alberta. He was a keen and curious guy and decided to study chemistry at Simon Fraser University in BC. David and a few of his chemistry colleagues formed a company called Stratford Chemicals. The lab was in the basement of David’s rental house on Stratford street in Vancouver. These eager chemists produced and marketed pheromones that had been the subject of chemical ecology research at the university.

Stratford was the training ground for David and with some cohorts expanded into Pherotech Inc. – which became a major player in the pheromone industry.

Over the years, David remained committed to researching and manufacturing semiochemicals for the forestry sector. He gained extensive knowledge from his hands-on approach both in the field and at the laboratory bench. He founded his own company, Synergy Semiochemicals in 2004. With a single employee, he worked tirelessly to build up a business that was one foot in the research sector and another foot in the business world.

During his years at Synergy, his close collaborations with the US, Canadian and international foresters, entomologists and semiochemical scientists allowed Synergy to gain a solid reputation for novel and high-quality products. No one denies that David’s ability to retain scientific facts was truly a gift. He became the walking encyclopedia for all things regarding forest insect chemical ecology. He attended many of the working group meetings and conferences and spent many hours talking shop to his colleagues over plenty of good food and beer.

Folks would often call David at Synergy to ask his opinion about some pheromone or semiochemical product. Usually, ½ hour later they would emerge with a thorough idea about why or how something could or could not work for a particular situation. His sense of humor was contagious, and his love of storytelling was always entertaining to the listener, while at the same time building the business. His shoes cannot be filled now by any one person, but his legacy will continue.

Marcia Wakarchuk Jones

President

Marcia has been working with Synergy since 2011 and as the younger sister of Synergy founder David Wakarchuk, she has been trained directly in many aspects of the Semiochemical industry. As President she brings continuity and strengthening of our relationships with customers and a strong vision for the future.
Marcia provides oversite and coordination for our diverse team of experts, ensuring that our customers receive accurate sales and technical support to source the correct Semiochemicals products for their needs. With a graduate degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics, business management training and time working internationally, Marcia brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to her role.

Robert Setter

Vice President

Bob comes to Synergy with several decades of experience in entomology, forest health and the manufacture/application/sale of custom synthetic molecules. His Semiochemicals education was gained in the lab of Dr J.H. Borden at SFU and while working for Pherotech in the early 1990’s. Several more years were spent in forest health consulting and field operations throughout the forests of western Canada. International experience was gained working at The University of Iowa implementing an area-wide control program for subterranean termites and participating in 5 Isopteran biodiversity expeditions to central and south America with Dr Rudi Scheffrahn, of the University of Florida.

Mark McKenzie

Operations Manager

Mark comes to Synergy with a combination of training, skills and industrial experience that make him the perfect operations manager. His training includes a degree in Environmental Science with numerous industrial certifications gained while on the job. With extensive experience in operations management and custom solutions development in a range of industrial chemistry settings, Mark continually strives to create an efficient environment for our chemistry and manufacturing teams. His efforts behind the scenes support the entire team and result in the high-quality products we ship daily to our end users.

Vaida MacDonald

Accountant

Vaida brings a decade of experience in business and finance in the service and manufacturing industries. Completing a Bachelor’s of International Business Administration at Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania, she focused on International dimensions of business, strategic business management and innovation. Her education continues in pursuit of an Accounting Diploma at BCIT. With a passion for travel and learning new languages she lived in 5 different countries before arriving in Canada 10 years ago. She supports our customers and vendors with all their full-cycle accounting needs in addition to assisting with order processing.

Michelle Larocque

Administrative Assistant and Logistics

Michelle comes to Synergy with a keen interest in nature and insects. With an education in Office Administration and 24 years experience with large companies such as Seaspan, she brings our team substantial expertise in office management, logistics and communications. Michelle is on the front line answering your requests and will guide customers through the full ordering cycle. She provides timely quotes, sales order intake and helps smooth shipping for our customers over 50 different countries.

Tom O’Laughlin

Chemist

From County Clare, Ireland, Tom completed a BSc. in Pharmaceutical and Industrial Chemistry at the University of Limerick. Shortly after graduation Tom moved to Vancouver and fell in love with what coastal BC had to offer. He spent time working in construction (Framing and forming) before taking an opportunity to work in the chemistry field with Maaxam Analytical Labs. Tom joined Synergy Semiochemicals Corp in January of 2020 looking to gain further experience in novel chemistry applications and product formulation. He has become an integral part of our team, providing the bridge from neat chemicals to formulated products, and assisting in implementing our constant QC efforts.

Michael Fraser

Chemist

Mike joined Synergy as a chemist in 2019, bringing a diverse scientific background in medicinal and materials chemistry. Gaining a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Otago, New Zealand, Mike spent several more years completing post doctoral studies in New Zealand and at UBC in Vancouver BC. We are happy that Mike chose to call southern BC home, as he has become a valued member on our synthetic chemistry and product formulation team. His dedication and expertise contribute to our ongoing product development and novel semiochemical products.

Julien Grebert

Sales Support

Julien joins Synergy fresh out of school with a B.Sc. in Biology and is eager to apply his knowledge in the semiochemical field. As part of the sales support team, he is here to assist customers at any stage of their process, regardless of their level of knowledge or experience. Julien strives to provide exceptional service, from preparing quotes and shipping estimates to answering phone inquiries and more.
Additionally, he has taken part in Synergy’s broadening field research and insect monitoring efforts located throughout the Lower Mainland.
He steps into this role, and into the professional world as a whole, with the goal of developing valuable skills and a stronger understanding of biology in a workplace setting.

Stephen Vaive

Sales and Production Support

Stephen comes to Synergy with a background in entomology, chemical ecology, and sales. Stephen has a BSc. In Biology from Simon Fraser University, where he spent time during and after his undergraduate education working as a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Gerhard Gries. His educational background, coupled with 8 years of prior sales experience, have prepared him well to handle the ever-changing needs of Synergy customers. At Synergy he provides quotes, processes sales orders, manages inventories, and coordinates between our sales, production, and shipping teams. He also participates in Synergy’s independent field research.

Nicole Jeans-Williams

Technical Sales

Nicole is a great addition to our Synergy team and provides hands on expertise to support our valued customers. Nicole has operated as a forest health consultant in south central British Columbia for the past 25 years. She brings years of field experience using semiochemicals to manage and monitor bark and wood boring beetle populations in the field. Her clients have included government agencies, forest companies, small landowners and community associations. Nicole earned her Master of Pest Management degree under the supervision of Dr. John Borden at Simon Fraser University, with a focus on developing semiochemical tactics to contain and concentrate the western balsam bark beetle. She worked at Phero Tech Inc in the early 1990s and started her own private practice shortly there after.

Jorge E Macias Samano

Research Director

Jorge is a biologist from IPN, Mexico and has a Master in Pest Management and a PhD in Chemical Ecology by Simon Fraser University, Canada. He has almost 40 years of professional experience in the fields of forest health, forest pest management and in the use of semiochemicals in conifer and tropical forests of North and Central America and the Caribbean. In the last 30 years he has been associated with teaching, research, and consulting internationally. Previously he worked with FAO, USFS, Canadian Inspection Agency, GIZ, Synergy Semiochemicals Corp and government agencies and academic institutions of Mexico and Central America, among others.

Jonathan Lockhart

Production

Jonathon comes to the Synergy team to support us in the manufacturing and production or our semiochemical products. Prior to joining Synergy Jonathon was a pressman for 18 years with United Press and Printing. He comes with the right mindset and practical knowledge to run and maintain our machines and support all aspects of order fulfillment.

Thuy Tran

Production and Analysis

Thuy joins the Synergy Team as a production assistant and analyst. She came to us with a solid set of lab analysis skills. Her ability to learn new skills and techniques quickly has made her a valuable assist to our production team. She always has a can-do attitude and her work ethic is outstanding.