Stephen Oud

HMA Membership Chair & Board Director

2013 to March 2021

Stephen has been a Director with the HMA 2013. Stephen “joined the HMA in 2012 so I could network with other businesses in Huron County.  I thought it would be a great opportunity to open my mind to new ideas and new business practice to help excel our company.  Since joining it has been everything I imagined and much more!” 

As Membership Chair Stephen was the lead contact for new memberships or membership inquiries.  He used the opportunity well with his positive attitude to network and encourage with new ideas and new manufacturing businesses.

Stephen is an owner and Operations Manager of Vanastra Packaging and Seaforth Elevators & Expediting, run alongside his brothers Jason Oud and Andrew Oud.

Vanastra Packaging – VANPACK is a customer-oriented commodity handler that specializes in custom packaging for hard to flow & nuisance products.  The main focus is packaging / de-packaging products that need to be re-processed & warehoused.  The products we handle are distributed within the agri & industrial markets across North America.

Seaforth Elevators & Expediting offers complete rail transfer, elevating, grain cleaning, packaging & storage solutions for bulk or palletized goods.  They are connected to all rail points in North America.

Stephen was “raised in Huron County and comes from a farm background where we grew Rutabagas and were cash crop producers.  Our family was exposed to many different types of business because my father was an entrepreneur in every sense.”  

“I went to school in London Ontario for Business Marketing at Fanshawe College.  My family and I start Vanastra Packaging in 1999.  In 2005 my brother Jason & I started Seaforth Elevators & Expediting to expand our operations. Younger brother Andrew joined the team and now the three Oud Brothers Stephen, Jason and Andrew run both businesses together.”  They drive the “brother bus” to and from work every day.  Stephen is also a member of the Vanastra BR-E.

Stephen lives with his beautiful wife Teresa and three wonderful children near Lake Huron. Stephen enjoys “Sun, Sand, Surf!  Boating on Lake Huron, driving my Cadillac convertible, relaxing with friends & family, enjoying a nice cold glass of beer.”

The Huron Manufacturing Association has been very fortunate to have Stephen Oud as Membership Chair for eight years.  We will be sorry to see him leave the Board of Directors in 2021 after his completion of two terms of four years each.  The HMA Board wish Stephen and his family and businesses continued success in manufacturing in Huron County.