West Region
AJ Cecchettini
West Coast, Automation Specialist
AJ is the automation specialist for the West Coast, handling all of the design, implementation and service of automation and flow-meter monitoring projects.
He is a graduate of Cal State University Monterey Bay, with a Master’s Of Science in Coastal Watershed Science and Policy, with a concentration in marine ecology.
Prior to joining Hortau, AJ worked on a number of highly technical research projects involving in situ measurements and collaboration.
- (805) 550-7581
Derek Gagne
West Region Service Manager
An early employee of Hortau, Derek Gagne is the West Region Service Manager, based out of the company’s U.S. headquarters in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
He currently manages Hortau’s dedicated team of U.S. technicians, and has traveled as far as Morocco to install systems and train both regional irrigation specialists and growers on how to use Hortau’s platform.
Service is Derek’s number one priority. If growers have an issue with the Hortau irrigation management platform, he recommends they contact him via the information below and he’d be happy to help troubleshoot their issues, or have a technician or grower support specialist visit their ranch to resolve the problem.
- (805) 545-5994
Derek Toschi
Irrigation Advisor
A certified PCA, Derek graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences, Plant Protection.
He worked previously as a Ranch Evaluation Specialist with Deerpoint Group, evaluating sites, making tissue and soil analysis reports and fertilizer recommendations.
Derek also worked as a spray technician for Pacific Ag Research, and as a researcher scouting crops for disease and pest pressure with Dupont Crop Protection.
- 661-332-2590
Jaxson Toschi
Inside Sales Manager & Grower Support Specialist
Jaxson Toschi is an Inside Sales Manager & Grower Support Specialist at Hortau. He is based out of its U.S. headquarters in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Starting with the company in 2018, he works with new farming operations to see if they are a fit for Hortau’s precision irrigation management and scheduling services.
Originally from Grass Valley, Calif. with family roots in agriculture, Jaxson previously worked in the cleantech sector with Solar City out of its Central Coast branch.
A graduate of Cal Poly, Jaxson studied soil science and earned a degree in Environmental Management, with a concentration in Environmental Impact Mitigation Strategies.
- (805) 545-5994, ext. 334
Jeremy DeBoer
SALES MANAGER
Jeremy is a CA native who spent his early years in Modesto. After graduating from Hughson High, he attended Utah Valley University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government. Jeremy then returned to CA to begin a career in agriculture.
Prior to joining Hortau, Jeremy worked for Pacific Distributing as an Outside Sales Rep before being promoted to Division Sales Manager.
- (209) 480-5768
Nicholas Doyon
Director of Customer Success
Nicholas Doyon is Hortau’s Director of Customer Success. He joined Hortau in 2013, working first in operations in the Quebec office for about five years before moving on to a new role as Director of Customer Success in 2018. Since moving to California, he is working closely with our grower support and irrigation advisor teams, to better ensure that our customers get the most out of their Hortau experience.
Nicholas is a graduate of Bishop’s University, with a Bachelor in Business Administration Degree with a focus on entrepreneurship.
- 805 903 3264
Romain Langlois
Central Coast, Grower Support, Technician
Romain Langlois is a technician and grower support specialist on California’s Central Coast, and was the company’s technician of the year in 2017.
Born and raised in Toulouse, France, Romain’s passion for ag began on his grandfather’s farm in France. He studied at Cal Poly, majoring in crop science and worked in strawberry production before coming to Hortau.
Working in everything from wine grapes to tree fruit, coastal berries to vegetables, Langlois was a technician for 2.5 years with Hortau before joining the grower support team.
- (805) 540-8112
Travis Goldman
Irrigation Advisor
Travis Goldman was born and raised in Watsonville. He graduated from UC Davis and has worked throughout the Salinas Valley and Central Valley as a service technician, grower support specialist and an irrigation management advisor at Hortau.
As an Irrigation Management Advisor in California’s Central Valley, Travis is committed to ensuring grower get the most out of Hortau’s irrigation management platform and scheduling services.
- (831) 588-9740
High Plains
Francis Desaulniers
Canada
Francis has an environmental ag degree from Laval University. He also has a degree in ag mechanical engineering from the Institut de la technologie agroalimentaire (ITA).
During his studies, Francis received several distinctions and awards of excellence for his work. Throughout college, Francis interned at Hortau in 2013-14, and re-joined the team in 2016 as a sales representative and technical support specialist.
- (418) 836-7927 ex. 231
Midwest, Northeast & Canada
AJ Cecchettini
West Coast, Automation Specialist
AJ is the automation specialist for the West Coast, handling all of the design, implementation and service of automation and flow-meter monitoring projects.
He is a graduate of Cal State University Monterey Bay, with a Master’s Of Science in Coastal Watershed Science and Policy, with a concentration in marine ecology.
Prior to joining Hortau, AJ worked on a number of highly technical research projects involving in situ measurements and collaboration.
- (805) 550-7581
Bruno Laliberté
CFO
Bruno has been the CFO at Hortau since April 2006, guiding Hortau through multiple rounds of financing and company growth of about 50% in each of the past five years.
Bruno is a graduate of the University of Laval, with a Bachelor in Business Administration Degree in Accounting and Finance. Previously, he was Director of Finance for Rololight Corporation and Labcal Technologies
Caroline Letendre
Canada
Caroline has a degree in Agricultural Economics and an MBA from Laval University.
She counts numerous experiences in agriculture such as nursery, dairy farming and processing, in-vitro culture, farm management training and trade missions. She speaks French, English and Spanish.
Caroline has been part of the Hortau team since 2009. She is currently in charge of direct sales and developing new markets in Canada, Midwest and Northeastern U.S. She has worked extensively with cranberry growers from coast to coast in both Canada and the U.S., helping them improve production and the profitability of their operations.
- 418-836-7927 x229
Christian Plante
Vice President of Engineering
Christian brings more than two decades of high-tech management experience to Hortau. A graduate from the University of Laval, his career started in Quebec City where he founded Anillusion with a former colleague from Exfo. The company developed a technology to enable 3D visualization on PCs. This ultimately led him to complete his MBA at Queen’s University in Ontario before landing in Silicon Valley, where he has lived since 2000.
In California, he has been involved with large corporations such as Altera and Broadcom in addition to smaller startups, where he worked on semiconductor projects in various markets such as wireless infrastructure, industrial automation and digital living rooms.
Cody Jones
Midwest, Northeast, Region Manager
Hortau’s sales representative and technical support specialist for the Midwest and Northeast, Cody has a degree in environmental Science from St. Norbert College in De Pere.
A Wisconsin native, Cody has worked in cranberry marshes and traditional row crops for both private farming operations and precision irrigation companies based in Wisconsin.
Cody understands the unique challenges Northern growers face throughout the seasons, and is committed to helping growers improve their farming practices.
- (920) 246-9130
Derek Gagne
West Region Service Manager
An early employee of Hortau, Derek Gagne is the West Region Service Manager, based out of the company’s U.S. headquarters in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
He currently manages Hortau’s dedicated team of U.S. technicians, and has traveled as far as Morocco to install systems and train both regional irrigation specialists and growers on how to use Hortau’s platform.
Service is Derek’s number one priority. If growers have an issue with the Hortau irrigation management platform, he recommends they contact him via the information below and he’d be happy to help troubleshoot their issues, or have a technician or grower support specialist visit their ranch to resolve the problem.
- (805) 545-5994
Derek Toschi
Irrigation Advisor
A certified PCA, Derek graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences, Plant Protection.
He worked previously as a Ranch Evaluation Specialist with Deerpoint Group, evaluating sites, making tissue and soil analysis reports and fertilizer recommendations.
Derek also worked as a spray technician for Pacific Ag Research, and as a researcher scouting crops for disease and pest pressure with Dupont Crop Protection.
- 661-332-2590

Doug Larson
High Plains, Region Manager
As a Colorado State University Alum and licensed PCA, Doug Larson came to Hortau with over 30 years of hands-on experience in the industry of agriculture.
Through his years as a 4th generation Colorado Farmer, Agricultural Educator, Irrigation Sales and Service Technician and President/CEO of an irrigation distribution company covering the Western United States and Mexico, Doug has developed a unique set of skills and experiences specializing in the use of advanced irrigation systems, including the use of soil tension technology in the efficient and sustainable application of ag water.
Doug’s hands on style and ability to develop personal relationships, along with his love for the industry and strong desire to contribute to its growth and sustainability are key to the success of his clients, as well as to that of he and his family.
- (970) 481-0655
Francis Desaulniers
Canada
Francis has an environmental ag degree from Laval University. He also has a degree in ag mechanical engineering from the Institut de la technologie agroalimentaire (ITA).
During his studies, Francis received several distinctions and awards of excellence for his work. Throughout college, Francis interned at Hortau in 2013-14, and re-joined the team in 2016 as a sales representative and technical support specialist.
- (418) 836-7927 ex. 231
François Proulx
Vice President of Commercial Operations
François joined Hortau in 2017 as Vice-President of Commercial Operations. He brings almost a decade of international sales and operations management experience with both instrumentation and automation manufacturers where François led initiatives to develop the OEM business segment and improve indirect sales channels by establishing strategic partnerships with local distributors and reps.
He holds a BS in international management and marketing from Laval University with combined study-abroad programs from European Business School in Germany and CENTRUM Catolica in Lima, Peru.
Jaxson Toschi
Inside Sales Manager & Grower Support Specialist
Jaxson Toschi is an Inside Sales Manager & Grower Support Specialist at Hortau. He is based out of its U.S. headquarters in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Starting with the company in 2018, he works with new farming operations to see if they are a fit for Hortau’s precision irrigation management and scheduling services.
Originally from Grass Valley, Calif. with family roots in agriculture, Jaxson previously worked in the cleantech sector with Solar City out of its Central Coast branch.
A graduate of Cal Poly, Jaxson studied soil science and earned a degree in Environmental Management, with a concentration in Environmental Impact Mitigation Strategies.
- (805) 545-5994, ext. 334
Jeremy DeBoer
SALES MANAGER
Jeremy is a CA native who spent his early years in Modesto. After graduating from Hughson High, he attended Utah Valley University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government. Jeremy then returned to CA to begin a career in agriculture.
Prior to joining Hortau, Jeremy worked for Pacific Distributing as an Outside Sales Rep before being promoted to Division Sales Manager.
- (209) 480-5768