horizons fall 2014

h o r i z o n sCalifornia Agricultural Leadership Foundation Magazine

FALL 2014

Educating Decision Makers About Agriculture

We grow leaders who make a difference.

2014 EXCHANGES

California Agricultural Leadership Foundation Magazine

FALL 2014 • www.agleaders.org

COVER STORY5 Educating Decision Makers About Agricultural Issues

FEATURES11 Class 44 Explores Central Valley Water Issues

12 Class 44 Class Project

14 Leadership Focus: Dr. Michael Thomas

DEPARTMENTS2 Chair Message

2 Calendar of Events

3 Foundation News

13 Program News

15 Alumni Council & Events

17 Alumni & Fellows News

18 Donor Recognition

CALENDARDECEMBER10-12 Class 45 seminar, UC Davis

JANUARY12 Class 46 phase 1 applications online12-14 Class 44 seminar, Santa Clara 14-16 Class 45 seminar, Cal Poly Pomona

FEBRUARY4 13th annual Colusa Farm Show Breakfast5 Region 6 recruitment event, Sun-Maid, Kingsburg5-7 Class 45 seminar, Fresno State6-7 Class 44 seminar, Fresno State7 Class 44 commencement, Fresno State12 21st annual Ag Leadership Alumni World Ag Expo Breakfast

MARCH 3 Agricultural and Government Leaders Reception, Sacramento4-13 Class 45 national travel seminar

I want to wish a warm welcome to Class 45 and congratulations on your selection.

You are embarking on a life changing journey with the premier leadership program in California. My hope is that you engage, add value, give back and be the best you can be! This opportunity is a gift, so live every moment. We have high expectations for all of you.

We have a government in disarray and strong, decisive leadership has never been more important. We have lack of immigration reform, border issues, massive incomprehensible and restrictive regulations, and moribund economic recovery. Our industry, communities, state and nation need leadership. We need you!

Thank you for accepting the challenge. Leadership development is a crucial step to solving many critical issues.

Enjoy the ride…we are excited for you!

Best,Loren Booth (27)Chair, CALF Board of Directors

CALF BOARD OF DIRECTORSChair/ Loren Booth

Vice Chair/ Jeff Elder Secretary - Treasurer/ Pierre Tada

Karm BainsBarbara Boswell

Charles BoyerEdwin Camp

Bob Cherenson John Colbert

A.G. Kawamura Ejnar KnudsenJoe MacIlvaine

Jim MaxwellRod Stark

Mary-Ann WarmerdamMike Young

Rob Yraceburu

CALF STAFF President and CEO / Bob Gray

| [email protected] of Education / Dr. Michael Thomas

| [email protected] Advisor / Dr. Charlie Crabb

| [email protected] & Human Resources / Teresa Straub

| [email protected] Coordinator / Judy Sparacino

| [email protected] Coordinator / Emily Lazzerini

| [email protected]

WRITER/EDITORMeredith Rehrman Ritchie

[email protected]

DESIGNERTMDcreative

D.C. EXCHANGE AND CA EXCHANGE

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CLASS 45:Enjoy the Ride

FOUNDATION MESSAGE

HORIZONS MAGAZINE FALL 2014

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Young van Klaveren BoyerDr. Lester Young, Dr. Charles Boyer and Deanna van Klaveren (32) have stepped down as California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) board members.

Young retired in September after serving as dean of the College of Agriculture at Cal Poly Pomona since January 2009. He served a two-year term on the CALF board from 2012 to 2014. Boyer, dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State since 2006, accepted a new position as vice president of agriculture at Montana State University. He had just begun a two-year rotation on the CALF board after previously serving from 2007 to 2008. Van Klaveren, sales and office manager of family-owned Generation Growers, served on the board from 2009 to 2014 as the Alumni Council liaison.

“These three individuals were vital contributors and valuable assets on the board, and we are incredibly appreciative of their years of service and high level of commitment to Ag Leadership,” said CALF President and

CEO Bob Gray. “Dr. Young and Dr. Boyer provided insight, guidance and leadership from an academic perspective. Deanna’s business experience and involvement with the Alumni Council were extremely beneficial in her role.”

Van Klaveren said it was a privilege to serve with the board. “I feel fortunate to have had another opportunity with CALF of personal growth, leadership learning, and interaction with people so passionate about agriculture and this foundation,” she said. “But this foundation is just like that – through the program, the leadership opportunities, the events, and Life-Long Leadership Learning seminars – there are gifts given constantly to all who participate. Thank you to the staff for their countless hours of dedication, to the Education Team for their devotion to the curriculum and fellows, to the supporters and donors who give so the foundation can continue to do its good work, and to the board members who guide our foundation to ‘grow leaders who make a difference.’ ”

CALF BOARD MEMBERS DEPART

The foundation welcomes Dr. Mary Holz-Clause and Dr. Andrew Thulin as new partner university deans and members of CALF’s Deans Council.

NEW PARTNER UNIVERSITY DEANS

MARY HOLZ-CLAUSE Cal Poly Pomona

ANDREW THULINCal Poly San Luis Obispo

Mary Holz-Clause began her tenure as dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture on July 28.

She was previously the vice president of economic development at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where she led the university’s economic growth initiatives. Her work included forming an economic development office and overseeing programming for the UConn Technology Park, a state-of-the-art $200 million facility focused on advanced manufacturing.

Prior to UConn, Holz-Clause spent 25 years at Iowa State University in various capacities, starting in business development and rising to associate vice president of extension and outreach and director of global programs. Among the projects she created were the Global Extension Academy, which trained educators to help farmers abroad learn about

new agricultural practices. In 2002, she founded and managed the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, a multi-university consortium that created an online collection of production, technology and business development information on the changing landscape of U.S. agriculture. Holz-Clause also taught classes in economic development, business and community planning.

Her other experiences include research director and trade mission coordinator with the Iowa Department of Economic Development and vocational agriculture teacher in the East Greene Community Schools in Iowa.

Holz-Clause earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business, a master’s degree in public administration and Ph.D. in agriculture education from Iowa State University.

Andrew J. Thulin began his role as dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences (CAFES) in June 2014. He had served as interim dean for the previous year.

Prior to his post as interim dean, Thulin simultaneously directed strategic initiatives for the university and served as head of CAFES’ Animal Science Department. Under his 15-year leadership, the department implemented a new strategic vision that led to a significant expansion of facilities, faculty and staff. Graduation rates increased to nearly 90 percent, and more than $16 million was raised for new laboratories and the construction of a new Beef Center, Animal Nutrition Center and Meat Processing Center.

Thulin also brings experience from the private sector. From 1991 to 1998, Thulin managed technology development at Cargill, Inc., the nation’s largest private company. His responsibilities included spearheading new international business ventures and deploying new technologies to bring greater efficiencies and increased profitability to the company. He also gained academic experience as a professor at Michigan State University, where he held a three-way appointment in extension, teaching and research.

Thulin graduated from Cal Poly with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and completed his master’s and doctorate degrees in nutrition at Kansas State University.

—Meredith Ritchie

FOUNDATION NEWS

FALL 2014 HORIZONS MAGAZINE

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The foundation and Fresno State President Joseph Castro and

Mary Castro co-hosted a fundraiser dinner on Sunday, Sept. 14

at University House, the president’s home. The dinner welcomed

115 guests and featured Life-Long Leadership Learning seminar

speaker Dr. Daniel Goleman, who talked about his personal story

from Stockton to Amherst to Harvard, his stint at The New York

Times, and authorship of numerous books.

“This was the first time that the foundation had organized this

type of fundraiser dinner with a partner university, and it turned

out to be a successful and enjoyable evening,” said Bob Gray.

“We are grateful to those who generously supported this special

event, with proceeds benefiting the educational goals of Ag

Leadership and Fresno State.”

CA L F a n d F r e s n o S tat e Pa rt n e r f o r F u n d r a i s e r

Alumni Council Promotes Raffles to Raise Funds for CALFIn an effort to raise at least $15,000 for Ag Leadership, the Alumni Council regional directors

are organizing a series of raffles. The first raffle, held in October, featured a new iPad valued

at $929. This raffle raised nearly $3,500.

Alumni can purchase $20 raffle tickets by contacting their regional directors, calling the CALF

office, or online at www.agleaders/org/donate/donate-form. With the online donation, enter

amount of ticket(s), one time, annual operating support. All proceeds are donated to CALF.

PURCHASE YOUR $20 RAFFLE TICKET FOR THE NEXT DRAWING

FOUNDATION NEWS


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A field trip is defined as a trip by students away from the classroom to gain firsthand knowledge or gather data about a subject. On a basic level, the Washington, D.C. Educational Fellowship Program and the California Educational Fellowship Program are field trips that take fellows away from their offices to gather information about agriculture.

But the programs are much more than one-day field trips. They are enriching, eye-opening educational experiences. During the days, fellows are in fields, vineyards, nurseries, ag operations and boats, hearing from and talking with farmers, ranchers, industry representatives and resource experts. In the

evenings, they are spending one-on-one time with families. All the while, the fellows are absorbing a vast amount of information about the complexities and challenges in agriculture. And on a personal level, they are seeing the work ethic and passion of the people who work in the industry.

“These programs are powerful because the fellows are exposed to agriculture in a tangible and unique way that has a lasting effect,” said Darlene Din (35). “As government officials, they are making policies and decisions that have an impact on California agriculture, so it is important that they experience agriculture first-hand, see what we’re doing, and truly understand our diverse issues.”

D.C. EXC H A N G ECA LI FO R N I A EXC H A N G E

Educating Decision Makers About Agriculture

>>Cover stories by Meredith Ritchie>>Photos by Judy Sparacino

COVER STORY


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Each day of the D.C. Exchange is distinct, but the goal is the same: expose fellows to various aspects of the agricultural industry, exchange information and create connections.

This year’s seven-day program began on Sept. 14 in San Diego County. From there, the 20 fellows traveled to the Imperial Valley and Coachella Valley and finished in Ventura County. Visits to nearly two dozen agricultural operations increased their knowledge about the economics of California farming, environmental challenges, water, pests (invasive pests, pest protection, pesticides), labor, food safety, organics, sustainable agriculture, best management practices, energy and trade. Home stays and connections between fellows enhanced the experience.

A snapshot of the week:

Fellows learned about egg farming in San Diego County after the change in California law. At the Otay Mesa border crossing, they got a better understanding about homeland security with

the movement of goods to and from Mexico. In the Imperial Valley, fellows visited various ag operations and learned about crop production, water and other important issues affecting the region’s ag industry.

In the Coachella Valley, a visit to the Salton Sea focused on irrigation discharge, wildlife and farming in the surrounding area. Tours of date operations highlighted the labor-intensive production and processing of dates. Fellows walked through orchards, vineyards and fields in Ventura County, where they learned about solar energy, water quality and management, high-intensity farming and supply chain.

“The D.C. Exchange has been incredibly successful and it has a reputation as a respected and high quality program,” said Darlene Din (35). “Each year we have 60 to 80 applicants vying for 20 to 25 spots depending on the region, so it continues to be in demand. This year we brought the 33rd class to California, which means we’ve educated nearly 700 federal agency representatives since 1982.”

Fellows provided positive feedback about the program and their experience.

“When I think about my D.C. Exchange experience, I think about three things: hospitality, information and innovation. Everyone involved in the program – especially the host families – was so welcoming and giving of their time. They helped me understand how they produce so much for so many, the challenges they continually face, and what they’re doing in response. Their love and passion for agriculture is clear. I’ve been thinking about that, and the many other things I learned during my week in Southern California, ever since I returned. For my small part in return, I will keep thinking about what I saw, heard and learned for years to come.” James Ivy, Associate Deputy Administrator, Legislative and Public AffairsAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA

“The D.C. Exchange was a fantastic experience. This program gave me the opportunity to meet with stakeholders in their environment and learn first-hand about their issues. In the short time since my trip to California, I have had the opportunity to use this invaluable information in my day-to-day work. I value the professional contacts made during this trip as well as the great friendships that have since developed.”Scott Pfister, Acting Associate Director, Plant Protection and QuarantineAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA

Federal Officials Get Up-Close Look at Agriculture

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“The D.C. Exchange provides a practical ground truth to the discovery research funded by the National Science Foundation. As the foundation assesses research projects by intellectual merit and broader impact, the D.C. Exchange experience enables a greater appreciation of the potential broader impact of various research projects in California and across the nation.” Thomas Torgersen, Program Officer, Hydrologic SciencesNational Science Foundation

2014 Fellows

Renee Berry – U.S. International Trade CommissionTri Bui-Nguyen – FDA-Office of Regulatory AffairsAlyssa Clendenin – FDA-Coordinated Outbreak

Response and Evaluation (CORE) NetworkShiela Corley – USDA-National Agricultural

Statistics ServiceVanessa Dellis – USDA-Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS)Yu-Ting Guilaran – U.S. EPA-Office of Pesticide

ProgramsTracy Hancock – U.S. Forest ServiceJamie Harris – U.S. EPA-Office of Ground Water

and Drinking WaterJulie Henderson – USDA-Agricultural Marketing

ServiceJames Ivy – USDA-APHISDanielle Jones – Office of Management and BudgetKelly Juarez – U.S. Department of StateJulio Maldonado – USDA-Foreign Agricultural

Service

Laura Norcutt – U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceScott Pfister – USDA-APHISKendra Russell – U.S. Department of the Interior-

Bureau of Reclamation Monique Salter – FDA-CORE NetworkSunny Snider – U.S. Department of Commerce-

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Tom Torgersen – National Science Foundation Christine Zakarka – USDA-APHIS

Site Visits

SAN DIEGO COUNTY: Farmers market, Bamboo Headquarters, Altman’s Nursery, Archi’s Acres, Go Green Agriculture, Stehly Farms Organics, Vesper Vineyards, egg ranches (Hilliker’s) and Otay Mesa border crossing.

IMPERIAL COUNTY: Vessey & Company, Farm Credit Ag Center, Imperial Irrigation District, Imperial County Farm Bureau, Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association, El Toro Export and Ametza.

COACHELLA VALLEY: Salton Sea, Hadley Date Gardens and Oasis Date Gardens.

VENTURA COUNTY: Limoneira, Solimar Farms, McGrath Family Farm, Driscoll’s/Reiter Affiliated Companies, Houweling’s Tomatoes, San Miguel Produce, Taylor Ranch, Associates Insectary and the Agriculture Museum.

Thank You

We extend our appreciation to all of the representatives from the above organizations, businesses and agencies who served as speakers and guides during the week.

Special Recognition

Matthew Altman (44)Jose Arriaga (44)Cherie Watte Angulo (25)Robert Atkins (17)Yissel Barajas (40)Scott Beylik (40)Art Bliss (8)Darlene Din (35)Melissa Duflock (40)Matthew Fisher (41)Bryan Foley (39)Rob Geis (35)Lauren Grizzle (23)Kevin Grizzle (35)Joyce Jong (39)Leslie Leavens (34)David Martella (22)Mark Nickerson (13)Ben Olson (3)Elisabeth Silva (41)Judy Sparacino – CALF staffJack Vessey (34)Ellen Way (28)

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The California Educational Fellowship Program (California Exchange) was revived this year - and reformatted to follow guidelines set by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

Class 1 of the new California Exchange – which included three state agency officials, a nonprofit representative involved in state policy, a local/regional official and a recent Ag Leadership alumnus* – got an in-depth view of agriculture during an excellent three and a half-day educational program through the Salinas Valley and coastal region.

The California Exchange is more formally educational in content compared to the D.C. Exchange (due to FPPC rules). Fellows were required to read the book “Crucial Conversations” prior to attending.

In addition, aspects of leadership development, presented by CALF Director of Education Dr. Michael Thomas, were embedded in the experience. Similar to the D.C. Exchange, homestays were an essential part of the program experience.

The exchange – held Aug. 12-15 in Soledad, Salinas, Castroville and Moss Landing – explored economics, agricultural history of the region, viticulture and wine making, conservation easements, the Williamson Act, cattle ranching, wildlife, crop production, food safety, water (resources/conservation/quality/flooding), workforce and immigration, sustainability and organic farming.

“We brought back the California Exchange because educating our state officials about agriculture is just as important as educating our federal officials,” said Darlene Din (35). “We were very pleased that the program went smoothly and that we had productive interactions with the fellows.”

2014 CA EXCHANGE

Alumni ReTOOL Exchange for State Officials

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2014 Fellows

Julie Alvis, California Natural Resources AgencyRobert Parkhurst, Environmental Defense FundChris Rose, Central Coast Regional Water Quality

Control BoardAmy Uber, California Department of Food and

AgricultureAshley Zellmer, State Water Resources Control

BoardDanielle Dupree (Class 43), Merrill Farms LLC(*The new format invites a recent Ag Leadership

graduate to be a part of the class)

ItineraryMann Packing, Dorrance Family Ranch/Mt. Toro, Paraiso Vineyards, Ocean Mist, Moss Landing Marine Lab, Molera Road wetlands/Salinas River, CALF office, Ramco Enterprises and Harden Foundation.

Special RecognitionALUMNI

Darlene Din (35)Danielle Dupree (43)Kurt Gollnick (16)Dale Huss (19)David Martella (22)Joe Pezzini (28)Richard Smith (7)Jorge Suarez (41)

CALF STAFFBob GrayJudy SparacinoDr. Michael Thomas

Thank YouTim and Gina BorelBrent BucheMeg ClovisMollie Dorrance and the Dorrance FamilyLorri KosterApril and Todd MackieMelissa MartellaMark ReasonsJanet RodgersNikki RodoniSierra RyanPaul ShieldAbby Taylor-Silva (45)Juan Uranga

By Robert Parkhurst, Fellow

I recently had the unique opportunity to learn firsthand how Central California farmers are constantly changing the way specialty crops are grown, squeezing more from fewer resources and reducing their impacts on the environment.

I joined a handful of other ag policy experts in a visit to the Salinas Valley, considered “the salad bowl of the world,” where we learned about the current issues and complex challenges facing the state’s farmers and ranchers. The California Educational Fellowship Program (California Exchange) was organized by alumni of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.

Running about 90 miles from Monterey to San Luis Obispo, the Salinas Valley alone grows more than 85 percent of the nation’s artichokes, 55 percent of the nation’s lettuce and 30 percent of the nation’s strawberries. It also leads the state in the production of broccoli, celery, mushrooms and cabbage.

Rapid innovations

Most of the farms in the Salinas Valley are family-owned operations more than three generations deep, but that doesn’t mean these businesses stick with the tried and true. They are always looking for new ways to improve their efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint.

Many of the farming practices you would have seen as recently as five years ago have already changed. Here are a few examples of the innovations I witnessed during my trip:

Saving energy: I met a vintner who was told he was crazy for putting windows and skylights in his winery – after all, light spoils wine. But all the fermentation happens in sealed tanks. By installing windows and skylights, he has reduced his energy use while improving the morale of employees working in the facility.

More green: In the field I saw how growers of leafy greens are expanding the width of their rows from 40 to 60 inches – increasing yields per acre by 30 percent.

Water efficiency: Growers in the Salinas Valley have long been concerned about their water use. They had the foresight to build waste-water recycling plants in the late 1990s. Today they are implementing subsurface drip irrigation for many vegetable and strawberry crops. This is critical as California enters what could become its fourth year of extreme drought.

Pest control: Strawberry growers are working to eliminate the use of methyl bromide, typically used to fumigate the soil prior to planting. Use of this gas is gradually being phased out under the Montreal Protocol, but an alternative has been difficult to find for growing strawberries. Farmers in the Salinas Valley are investigating options such as using steam to control soil-borne pests and diseases. The preliminary results are encouraging – the outcome compared to methyl bromide is similar and the use of steam is not only kinder to the environment and field workers, it has been shown to double yields in some cases.

These examples of innovation in sustainability tell me that California’s farmers, who have historically been strong stewards of the environment, are continuing to lead by example – finding ways to reduce their environmental impacts while feeding the world.

It’s a good sign for the salad bowls of the future.

Parkhurst is the director of agriculture greenhouse gas markets for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). He leads EDF’s protocol, policy and pilot development of greenhouse gas mitigation projects for working landowners. He is responsible for helping farmers, ranchers and forestland owners generate quantifiable climate benefits so that they are financially rewarded in the marketplace.

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California's Salad Bowl Tosses Up New Ideas in Sustainability

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The San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, one of California’s largest off-stream reservoirs, is a vital source of water for Central Valley farmers. When full, the reservoir can hold 2 million acre-feet of water. But at the end of summer, when Class 44 fellows and guests visited the reservoir during a tour, the water levels were drastically low. It was a sobering scene.

San Luis Reservoir was one of several captivating site visits during Class 44’s tour of Central Valley water issues on Aug. 28 and 29.

The idea for the excursion stemmed from a water tour that Chris White (43) had helped organize for his class in 2013. Paul Parreira (44) attended part of that tour, and he thought his classmates would also benefit from such an experience. He brought up the idea at a class seminar and there was a lot of interest.

“The water issues are not going away anytime soon,” said Parreira. “Some of us are directly affected and some are not. This tour was a chance to bring together many of our fellows from all parts of the state and give them a better understanding about what’s going on with water – the politics, regulations, problems, solutions and innovations.”

Nearly all of the Class 44 fellows attended, as well as Dr. Robert Flores (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo core faculty member) and several spouses, relatives and co-workers.

On the first day, participants visited Los Banos Creek Detention Dam, Central California Irrigation District’s Ingomar regulating reservoir, Panoche Water District’s San Joaquin River Improvement Project, Mendota Dam, Meyers Groundwater Banking Project, Red Top subsidence area and Sack Dam. The second day included stops at Parreira Almond Processing, Del Bosque Farms, areas within Broadview Water District and Westlands Water District, and San Luis Reservoir.

Participants learned about water shortages, water conservation in row crops, drip irrigation, new technologies, restoration, drain water recovery and treatment, and a solar thermal desalination project.

One part of the tour that had a particularly powerful impact was the Sack Dam and the problematic land subsidence issue. “This dam is the method by which the Central California Irrigation District and San Luis Canal Company divert water releases from the Mendota Pool into their respective canal systems for delivery to agriculture and wetlands,” said Parreira. “As groundwater overdrafting continues in this area, the subsurface subsidence will cause Sack Dam to fail to operate properly.”

Among the dozen speakers were four Ag Leadership alumni – Ara Azhderian (42) and Dan Nelson (14) of San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Chase Hurley (35) of San Luis Canal Company (SLCC), and Chris White (43) of Central California Irrigation District (CCID). In addition, Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) made presentations and answered questions from attendees.

“Our group got an up close look at our state’s water issues and we were able to interact with two Congressmen,” said Parreira. “We also had an opportunity to hear from four exchange contractors with pre-1914 water rights [CCID, SLCC, Columbia Canal Company and Firebaugh Canal Water District]. We learned about the historical water rights for ag water in California.”

Parreira said the event was an overwhelming success. “All of the fellows were very impressed with the tour and what they learned. What we witnessed was eye-opening. There were definitely some good leadership lessons, especially with how the districts have collaborated with each other. It was also a great leadership example that four of the presenters are Ag Leadership alumni and leaders in ag water.”

—Meredith Ritchie

Joann White of San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors River Authority and Tracey Rosin of CCID were instrumental in organizing Class 44’s tour.

Class 44 Explores Central Valley Water Issues

Photos: Class 44

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An entertaining and interactive website about food and agriculture – designed for elementary students – is the class project for Class 44. This digital story will engage students, teachers and parents with interactive activities showcasing edible plant parts.

Class 44 has teamed up with the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC) to develop the website. CFAITC is a nonprofit that works with K-12 grade teachers, students and community leaders to enhance education using agriculture. The organization’s mission is to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s educators and students.

Class 44 decided to focus on agricultural education for its class project. With guidance from CFAITC Program Coordinator Stephanie Etcheverria (43) and other staff, fellows supported the idea to create a visual resource that educates young people about how agriculture is connected to their food.

“We came up with the idea through several class discussions at various seminars,” said Brandon Souza (44). “We were interested in developing something that would have a positive impact on a large audience base, but also have an extended shelf life through minor editing and updating.”

The engaging website will supplement a CFAITC lesson plan about edible plant parts. Along with the lesson plan, the website highlights all of the edible parts of a plant: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Through hands-on activities, students will discover the different plant parts, their nutritional value, and how to include fruits and vegetables into their daily meals as part of a healthy diet. Students also will learn about California agriculture and the people who grow food.

The entire site is animated and students can scroll through the site at their own pace – either on their own or with assistance from a teacher or parent. Additionally, characters will act as guides to give users something to relate to that carries through the whole story. There will be various “stops” where the user interacts with the content.

Helping create the website is AdFarm, a marketing and communication agency that focuses on agriculture (Souza works for the agency). The development process with AdFarm has been collaborative; all Class 44 members have given input and seen the project’s progress through conference calls, webinars and in-person presentations. The launch is scheduled for January 2015.

“Our class has put a lot of hard work and thought into this website ” said Souza. “Teaching schoolchildren about food and agriculture is so important, and we are pleased that we can play a small part in the ag education effort with this fun resource.”

>>To learn more about the project or to help with fundraising efforts, contact Justin Perino at [email protected] (general inquiries) or Paul Parreira at [email protected] (fundraising).

—Meredith Ritchie

FEATURE STORY

About Class ProjectsClass projects are an essential part of the Ag Leadership Program experience. Over the years, classes have completed worthwhile class projects that have benefitted communities, organizations, groups of people, or the agricultural industry. The projects underscore lessons that Ag Leadership strongly encourages – giving back, stepping up, demonstrating collaboration and leadership, and making a difference.

Class projects from recent years:• Class 43 partnered with CFAITC to host an agricultural career day at the

Cow Palace in San Francisco.• Class 42 collaborated with Wheatland High School FFA to improve the

school’s farm with new planter boxes, irrigation systems, compost bins and greenhouses.

• Class 41 built a storage barn for Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento and an outdoor basketball court in New London, a farm worker community.

• Class 40 organized and funded day-long agricultural field trips to the Central Valley for inner city Oakland students.


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CLASS 44 PROJECT: Educating Children

About Food & Agriculture

PROGRAM NEWS

Derek Azevedo, GustineThe Morning Star Company

Correen Davis, StocktonGorrill Ranch

Matthew Efird, CaruthersEfird Ag Enterprises, Inc.

Lucas Espericueta, BakersfieldFarm Credit West

Rob Goff, BakersfieldParamount Farming Company

Stephanie Gonzales, FirebaughSierra Valley Almonds

Tou Her, MercedTurlock Irrigation District

Tyson Heusser, GridleyDuPont Pioneer

Chris Jensen, VisaliaNichols Farms

Stanley Kjar, Jr., FresnoPearson Realty

Brad Lindemann, LivermoreTaylor Farms

Cameron Mauritson, HealdsburgMauritson Farms

Jeff Milinovich, FresnoCentral California Raisin Packing Company

Justin Morehead, FresnoWells Fargo Bank

Brian Neufeld, ExeterAgricare, Inc.

Lauren Reid, CaruthersFred Rau Dairy, Inc.

Rick Rhody, Yuba CitySun Valley Rice

Jane Roberti, LoyaltonRoberti Ranch

Yvonne Sams, OakdaleG3 Enterprises, Inc.

Jason Schwartze, OceansideCounty of San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures

Justin Spellman, CorcoranJ.G. Boswell Company

Abby Taylor-Silva, SalinasGrower-Shipper Association of Central California

Ravi Thiara, Yuba CityThiara Orchards

Devon Yurosek, BakersfieldYurosek Farms

SFO>DXB>LUN>LVI>JNB>CPT>JNB>SFO

Class 44 fellows logged more than 25,000 miles for their international travel seminar to United Arab Emirates (UAE), Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. The trip was the first time an Ag Leadership class had visited Zambia. Class 36 traveled to UAE, Class 18 traveled to Zimbabwe, and Classes 4, 9, 18 and 27 traveled to South Africa.

The compelling journey intended to challenge the fellows on many levels, broaden their perspectives and introduce them to cultures and issues different from their own. They explored government, business, culture, conservation, education, history and agriculture. Personal experiences, observations and synthesis sessions deepened their understanding of issues pertinent to the three countries.

You can read about the trip and see photos by visiting the fellows’ blog at http://calf44intl.tumblr.com or on Instagram via #calf44intl.

Itinerary Highlights

United Arab Emirates• Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain: city tour,

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Al Ain Palace Museum.

Zambia and Zimbabwe• Lusaka: U.S. Embassy briefing, Indaba Ag

Policy Research Institute, University of Lusaka, orphanage and industries.

• Conservation efforts on the Lower Zambezi (African bush).

• Livingstone: Village life, women’s farm project, donation and service at a village goat project, Victoria Falls, conservation and wildlife.

• Chinotimba township, wood factory.

South Africa• Johannesburg: Research farm, small-

holding vs. Afrikaans farmers, U.S. Embassy briefing and University of the Witwatersrand.

• Soweto: Township tour, Mandela/Tutu museums, Kliptown Youth Program, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Apartheid Museum, Agricultural School of Sabina Khosa, South African agriculture.

• Cape Town: University of Cape Town, Robben Island, Villiera Vineyard, Longridge Wine Estate (finale dinner and synthesis).

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) proudly welcomes the newest members of our Ag Leadership family.

The 24 fellows of Class 45 participated in their inaugural seminar at Fresno State in October. For the next 16 months, they will be immersed in topics such as leadership theory, strategic agility, effective communication, motivation, critical thinking, change management, emotional intelligence, and complex social and cultural issues. Personal coaching and mentoring are key components of the curriculum.

“Class 45 is an impressive, diverse and ambitious group of individuals who will carry on the Ag Leadership tradition of leaders who make a difference,” said CALF Director of Education Dr. Michael Thomas. “We have no doubt that they will be successful leaders. They have just embarked on an amazing educational and life journey and we are excited to watch them grow and learn and broaden their horizons during the program.”

Welcome Class 45

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Class 44 International Travel Seminar

>> Photos and personal insights from the trip will be featured in the winter issue of Horizons.


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EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL INTELLIGENCEBy Dr. Michael Thomas, CALF Director of Education

The California Agricultural Leadership Program has, throughout its 45-year history, focused on personal development and self-awareness to internally improve the fellow. In recent years, however, we have refined and updated the message to include “emotional intelligence,” “social intelligence” and “EQ” (emotional intelligence quotient). These terms became commonplace in the late 1990s as a result of the writings of Dr. Daniel Goleman, who has been the thought leader in this field for the past 25 years. With the assistance of Dr. Patrick Lattore, we updated the personal development portion of the Ag Leadership curriculum. During that process, we polished the words and the message to strengthen the program. Now, personal coaching helps fellows individually understand their own IQ through personal-preference assessments and holds them to personal goals – adding more potency to personal change. As Bob Gray has said many times, “We build leaders from the inside out.” Personal development has also crossed over to alumni programs. Over the past 18 months, we have provided high quality educational opportunities for alumni in emotional intelligence and EQ. The Life-Long Leadership Learning (L4) seminars would not have been possible without the generosity of the Reiter

brothers and Reiter Affiliated Companies, including Driscoll’s. In March 2013, we had an excellent L4 seminar featuring Dr. Annie McKee, author of numerous books, including “Resonant Leadership” and “Primal Leadership” (co-written with Goleman). We have used “Primal Leadership” in the Ag Leadership Program for several years. In September, we had the unique opportunity to bring Goleman to Fresno State for an L4 seminar, which attracted some 600 attendees. His presentation is summarized on the following page. These L4 seminars have been so instructive and influential to me that I consider our alumni learning opportunities as upper division courses in a graduate program in personal development. I think it is important to emphasize the influence that Goleman’s work on the topics of emotional intelligence and attention (the subject of his newest book, “Focus: the Hidden Driver of Excellence”) has had on the Ag Leadership Program. As I look closely at the revised curriculum, I find emotional intelligence and focus to be a common thread throughout the first year of the program. By reviewing my notes from Goleman’s L4 presentation and from his books and articles, I have found that the Ag Leadership curriculum is very much aligned with his principles. His book “Focus” emphasizes three types of focus that

leaders need: 1) “inner” focus or self-awareness to manage one’s inner world; 2) “other” focus or empathy to help us build strong relationships and lead teams; and 3) “outer” focus or systems awareness to help us with strategic thinking. This is exactly what we do in Ag Leadership. We help fellows learn about themselves by taking self-assessments and by coaching. Then we teach them how to relate their personality preferences to those of others and how to cooperate, get along in groups and manage conflicts. Through a broad, exposure curriculum we then apply self-awareness and social intelligence to the external world and its wicked problems. We learn how to see issues from a completely different viewpoint by getting out of our comfort zone in developing countries or prickly domestic situations, such as East LA or our criminal justice system.The accompanying chart below includes a major theme of each of the first eight seminars and at least one Goleman-inspired theme that is emphasized in the seminar. We believe the Ag Leadership Program has tremendous impact on individuals because we improve fellows from the inside out using sound principles of emotional intelligence as explained in Goleman’s books.

Commentary:

LEADERSHIP FOCUS

For more information on the emotional intelligence themes, read the Goleman presentation article on page 15. You can also read more on his work from his books or other sources. www.danielgoleman.info.

Main Seminar Objective

Intro to leadership

Communication/listening

Teamwork/conflict

Culture/diversity

Emotionally intelligent leadership

Engaging organizations and the government process

Personal change/organizational change

Best practices in communication

Goleman Theme(s)

Self-awareness/self-focus

Self-management/“others” focus

Social awareness

Social awareness/wider world focus

Emotional and social intelligence

Relationship management/wider world focus

Self-management/“others” focus

Self-awareness/“others” focus

Seminar

1. Inaugural (Fresno)

2. Speech seminar 1 (SLO)

3. Group dynamics (Davis)

4. Roots of culture (Pomona)

5. EQ and leadership (Fresno)

6. Political systems (Davis/D.C.)

7. Nature of change (Pomona)

8. Speech seminar (SLO)


14

Thank you to Driscoll’s for generously sponsoring the L4

seminar. The seminar was co-hosted by CALF and Fresno State.

ALUMNI COUNCIL & EVENTS

Washington, D.C.

Daniel Goleman: Focus and Emotional Intelligence It has been nearly 20 years since Daniel Goleman’s internationally renowned bestseller “Emotional Intelligence” was published, but the topic remains extremely relevant today for successful leaders. In fact, his philosophies on emotional and social intelligence,

as well as focus and attention, are significant themes in the Ag Leadership Program curriculum.

Goleman, considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on leadership and management, spoke about these themes at the Life-Long Leadership Learning (L4) Seminar in September at Fresno State. More than 600 alumni, fellows, agricultural industry friends, students, faculty and staff attended the event.

Goleman is a well-known psychologist and author of 13 books (his latest is “Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence”). He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University and reported on the brain and behavioral sciences as a science journalist for the New York Times for 12 years, where he was nominated twice for a Pulitzer Prize. Prominent publications have listed him among the most influential business thinkers.

Much of Goleman’s presentation was centered on emotional intelligence and its link to effective leadership in work, relationships and personal well-being. He reminded the audience of his foundational work by explaining the four pillars of emotional intelligence and how they are interconnected.

1. Self-Awareness: Emotional self-awareness is about being in touch with your inner sense of meaning. It ties to our sense of ethics, to excellence, and to energy for getting things done.

2. Self-Management: Emotional self-control, adaptability, achievement and positive outlook. This is where cognitive control comes in. Research has shown that self-management predicts success better than IQ.

3. Social Awareness: Empathy and organizational awareness. This is sensing what other people are feeling and being able to understand their perspective.

4. Relationship Management: This includes inspiring leadership, influence, managing conflict, teamwork and collaboration.

Emotional intelligence competencies start with life. Goleman said, “Your parents are your first emotional intelligence tutors.”

Goleman explained the difference between emotional and social intelligence. Emotional refers to how we handle ourselves, manage our emotions, focus and keep other things from getting in our way. Social is tuning in to other people and realizing that our success depends on the success of others. It is emotional empathy, but also includes bringing out the best in others. Social intelligence is an important quality for real leadership.

The presentation also emphasized how different leadership styles impact the work climate. Positive styles include visionary (long-term direction and vision), coaching (develops employees for long-term), affiliative (creates harmony in work relationships) and democratic (builds commitment through collaboration). Negative styles include pacesetting (pushes to accomplish tasks) and commanding (demands compliance).

Another primary task of leadership, according to Goleman, is to direct attention. Leaders must learn to focus their own attention because it is key to performance, success and leadership in our personal and professional lives. (See page 14 for his three types of focus).

“It now seems harder for people to focus attention because of so many distractions,” said Goleman, who cited technology examples such as cell phones, texting and emailing. “Attention is under threat. We noticed a new word appear in the dictionary a couple of years ago – ‘pizzled’ – which is a combination of puzzled and pissed off. It occurs when people cannot get the attention of another due to texting or other technology distractions.”

Goleman also said that multitasking is a myth and it is an enemy to focus. “We really cannot multitask. To do this, the brain switches rapidly from one task to another, which is high-energy work requiring high glucose uptake. In multitasking situations, the brain must have a rest. Our attempts to multitask set up a situation where our thoughts get scattered.”

So how does the relationship between raw intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) link to leadership? IQ gets you the job; your cognitive ability determines what you can be hired to do, so it is very important. But after that, success in a job – measured as superior performance – is predicted 85% of the time by your EQ. Intellect is important and emotions are important. The former gives you a starting point; the latter gives you the finish line.

— Dr. Michael Thomas and Meredith Ritchie


15

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION-THANK YOU

REGIONAL SCREENING COMMITTEES

Screening committees interviewed Class 45 candidates in Chico (July 7), Davis (July 9-10), San Luis Obispo (July 16-17), Fresno (July 23-24) and Pomona (July 30-31). Committees included alumni, board members and industry representatives.

CHICOSarah DeForest (39)Anthony Laney (43)Danny Robinson (27)Stephanie Tillman (41)John Weiler (22)Dr. David Daley – acting dean,

Chico State

DAVISTina Anderson (39)Manpreet Bains (43)Bob Cherenson (29)Sue DiTomaso (32)Michael Frantz (36)Tricia Geringer (43)Mica Heilmann (40)Jeana Hultquist (38)Josh Huntsinger (39)Joel Kimmelshue (37)Paul Squires (37)Kevin Steward (36)Dr. Helene Dillard – dean, UC

Davis Dr. Annie King – core faculty and

ex officio

SAN LUIS OBISPOArt Bliss (8)Danielle Burk (43)Todd Collins (34)Jackie Crabb (36)Cara Crye (39)Louise Fisher (33)Stasi Seay (30)Jorge Suarez (41)Deanna van Klaveren (32)Ivor Van Wingerden (39)Dr. Andy Thulin – dean, Cal Poly

SLO

FRESNORachelle Antinetti (42)Caroline Berry (14)Mandy Critchley (37)Jerry DiBuduo (31)Donna France (38)

Denise Junqueiro (42)Ryan Person (42)Doug Phillips (40)Rod Stark (29)Tim Vaux (31)Jim Maxwell – CALF board Rob Yraceburu – CALF board Dr. Charles Boyer – dean, Fresno

State Dr. Robert Flores – core faculty and

ex officio

POMONADavid Bradshaw (37)Denise Godfrey (37)Helen McGrath (43)Chris Nichols (42)Steve Pastor (27)Mary Holz-Clause – dean, Cal Poly

PomonaDr. Peggy Perry – core faculty and

ex officio

Present at all screening dates:Dr. Michael Thomas – director of education, CALF

FINAL SELECTION COMMITTEE

The final selection committee for Class 45 gathered at the Harden Foundation in Salinas on Aug. 20.

Mandy Critchley (37) Jerry DiBuduo (31)Louise Fisher (33)Steve Pastor (27) Danny Robinson (27)Paul Squires (37)Kevin Steward (36)Deanna van Klaveren (32)John Weiler (22)

Dr. Charles Boyer, Fresno StateDr. Helene Dillard, UC DavisDr. Mary Holz-Clause, Cal Poly

PomonaDr. Andy Thulin, Cal Poly San Luis

Obispo

Bob Gray, CALFDr. Michael Thomas, CALF Judy Sparacino, CALF

FALL GOLF TOURNAMENTSVolunteers for the Region 9 and Dean Brown golf tournaments will be listed in the winter issue.

ALUMNI COUNCILAlumni Council Regional Directors

REGION 1 / NORTHERNHolly Dawley (38), John Weiler (22)

REGION 2 / NORTH BAYAndrea Card (38), Steve Knudsen (41)

REGION 3 / CAPITOLMichael Campbell (3), Mica Heilmann (40)

REGION 4 / NORTH SAN JOAQUIN VALLEYChase Hurley (35), Robin Flournoy (29)

REGION 5 / COASTAL TRI-COUNTYMelissa Duflock (40), Jorge Suarez (41)

REGION 6 / CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEYTimothy Vaux (31)

REGION 7 / SOUTH CENTRAL COASTLisa Bodrogi (39), Dan Sutton (40)

REGION 8 / SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN & MOJAVEJensen Devaurs (43), Todd Snider (41)

REGION 9 / VENTURAYissel Barajas (40), Scott Beylik (40)

REGION 10 / SOUTHERNBryan Foley (39), Liz Silva (41)

AT-LARGENoelle Cremers (35), Alexander Ott (37), Gerald DiBuduo (31), Mandy Critchley (37), Matt Fisher (41)

ALUMNI COUNCIL & EVENTS


16

CLASSES 1-9Guinness McFadden (5) was honored on June 24 at the state Capitol for winning Best of Show Sparkling Wine at the 2014 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition (he received a prestigious “Golden Bear” trophy). He also received a joint resolution from the California Legislature commending him for the significant contributions he has made in his community and agriculture, as well as his dedication to organic and sustainable farming.

Bill Jones (6) was the subject of a feature article in a September issue of Western Farm Press (“Farmer-politician Bill Jones talks water, Westside”). The article focused on his agricultural background, past political endeavors, family farming operation in Firebaugh and agricultural water issues.

CLASSES 10-19Greg Nelson (11) was honored as a departing board member by The Community Foundation of Mendocino County for his volunteerism and community leadership.

Ben Drake (12) received the 2014 Distinguished Citizen of the Year award from the Boy Scouts of America Tahquitz District. The award is presented to individuals whose personal ethics and family values are representative of the Scout oath and law.

Les Heringer (13) was appointed to the 3rd District Agricultural Association, Silver Dollar Fair board of directors by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Barry Bedwell (13) was appointed to the Fresno State advisory board in July. He also serves on the President’s Commission on the Future of Agriculture at Fresno State.

CLASSES 20-29A.G. Kawamura (20) was slated to deliver the keynote address at the third annual Seedstock Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Conference, Nov. 11-12 at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

John Weiler (22) received the 2014 Pedro Award from the Yuba-Sutter United Way in May. The award recognizes an individual who is willing to help others without personal gain. Weiler was recognized for his volunteer efforts in the community and regionally with dozens of organizations.

Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin (24) ran unopposed and won a seat on the board of directors of Salinas Valley Memorial.

Cherie Watte Angulo (25) was named chair of the board of California Grown, a partnership between the California Department of Food

and Agriculture and numerous California commodity groups. She is the executive director of the California Asparagus Commission.

Glenda Humiston (25) was the keynote speaker at an Executive Speaker Series luncheon held on Sept. 26 and sponsored by the Tuolumne County Business Council and Tuolumne County Economic Development Agency.

Cool Patch Pumpkins’ 63-acre corn maze, created and owned by Mark Cooley (25) and his brother, Matt, was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest corn maze. It broke its previous record of 43.5 acres.

Nicole Montna Van Vleck (26) was one of the recipients of the 2014 Women of the Year Awards from the 3rd Congressional District (Garamendi).

Daniel Robinson (27) was elected to the Butte County Farm Bureau board of directors in June.

Mark Kimmelshue (28) was appointed in April to the board of directors for Golden Valley Bank in Chico.

Craig McNamara (28) was the featured speaker for a Jessica Catto Leadership Dialogue session at Aspen Center for Environmental Studies in June. His presentation was “The Future of Sustainable Agriculture: A Farmer’s Perspective.”

Scott Stone (28) and his father, Hank Stone (1), received the 2014 Conservationist of the Year Award from the California Rangeland Trust. The Stone’s family business, Yolo Land & Cattle Co., received the 2014 Agri-Business of the Year Award from the Woodland Chamber of Commerce.

CLASSES 30-39James Ontiveros (31) received the 2014 Farmer of the Year award during the Santa Barbara County Fair’s 2013 Agricultural Recognition Awards, recognizing individuals for outstanding professional activities, dedication to the agricultural industry and commitment to their community.

CLASSES 40-45Cameron Mauritson (45) was named the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer by the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. He was recognized for the exemplary nature of his agricultural program, management, efficiency and leadership – all leading to excellence in the Sonoma County wine industry.

MULTIPLE CLASSESDan Dooley (18), Rich Engel (28), Glenda Humiston (25), Tony Oliveira (15) and Jason Peltier (16) were among the speakers at a session titled “The Very Last Drop: Managing Water & Food Production” on March 27 in Coalinga. The event was part of the Essential Elements for the Future of San Joaquin Valley series presented by West Hills Community College District.

Paul Wenger (17), Jeff Rasmussen (37), Jason Peltier (16) and Greg Wegis (39) were speakers or panelists at the first annual Kern Agricultural Summit, held on Oct. 14 at Bakersfield College.

Vaughn Koligian (12) and Carlos Castaneda (36) were appointed to the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee.

Four alumni were featured in Produce Business magazine’s 40 Under FORTY – Meet the Class of 2014: Carson Britz (43), Julia Inestroza (34), Shannon Leigh (43) and Garrett Patricio (38).

Fourteen alumni were featured in the Pacific Coast Business Times’ 2014 Who’s Who in Agriculture and Viticulture, published in July 2014: Emily Ayala (35), Kris Beal (31), Lino Bozzano (38), Danielle Burk (43), Scott Deardorff (26), Bailey DiIoia (43), Tom Ikeda (26), Susan Josue (43), Scott Klittich (43), Leslie Leavens (34), Jim McGarry (43), Nicholas Miller (36), Brian Talley (30) and Don Warden (5).

WHAT’S HAPPENING

IN YOUR LIFE?

PLEASE SEND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OR NEWS TO:

[email protected]

ALUMNI & FELLOWS NEWS


17

THANK YOU

Pledge Payments Received

Taylor Farms (Bruce Taylor): $25,000

Growers Express: $10,000 Rick and Kandi Burnes: $500

(plus roll giving match of $500)

Matt Toste: $500Lauren Grizzle: $250Brent Grizzle: $250Stephanie and Shawn

Tillman: $150

$200,000James G. Boswell Foundation

(for the partner universities)

$100,000James G. Boswell Foundation

(for operational support)

$16,000Rabobank, N.A.

$7,500Bowles Farming, Inc.

$6,000–$6,499Charles Buchinger Memorial

Endowment Fund

$5,000Abundant Harvest Organics

(Vernon and Carol Peterson)

$3,000–$3,499Class 41 Treasury AccountMargaret DuflockLimoneira Foundation Fund

$2,500Rod and Carol Stark

$2,000John Weiler

$1,500Gail and John GrayTim Vaux

$1,000–$1,499Far West Equipment Dealers

Association (Steve Kost)

Matt and Julie FisherMaterra Farming Co., LLC

(Brent Grizzle)Personal Ag Management

Services, LLC (Dan Carothers and Todd Snider)

Uni-Kool PartnersMary-Ann WarmerdamClass 10 (Tim O’Neill

Memorial Fund)-Mike Bennett-Lance Brown-Ron Caird-Steve Chrisman-John Crossland-Bill Daniell-Pete Fallini-Gary Foster-Randy Linquist-Mike Phelan

$750Joey and Shari Mendonca

$600-$699Moncrief & Hart, PC (Paul

Moncrief )

$500Hidden Villa Ranch (Mike

Sencer)Mike MendesBre Owens Kim RoginaTodd SniderDeanna and Roger van

KlaverenR. Wallace Wertsch

$300David Shabazian

$250Christopher CoyleJohn and Carol Gorter Stuart and Delores MastCindy MyersWashington Agriculture

and Forestry Education Foundation

$200Jose Luis Aguiar Bruce Hall

L&M Fertilizer (Leo McGuire)

Twin Peaks Agriculture, Inc. (Anthony Laney)

$100David and Jan RoseleipM.T. Sheppard and L.J.

TimbersDoris UyedaRobert Wertsch

In Memory of Susan Diefenderfer

Jerry Diefenderfer: $1,000

In Honor of the Marriage of Holly King and Steve Runyon

Denise and Ben Carter: $100

In-Kind Darlene Din: $7,800TMD Creative: $2,500Art Bliss: $250

DONOR SUPPORT July 1 – October 31, 2014


18

THANK YOU

FOUNDERS’ LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $1,000,000 and above

James G. Boswell FoundationOtis Booth Foundation

LEGACY LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $500,000 and above

Boswell Family Foundation

PIONEER LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $250,000 and above

Susan Dulin (in memory of J.G. Boswell II)Justina Borba

CHAIRMAN’S LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $100,000 and above

John and Betsy Grether John and Sheila LakeReiter Affiliated CompaniesTaylor Farms CaliforniaWells Fargo

ALUMNI LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $50,000 and above

Bank of America Merrill Lynch Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. Growers ExpressJ.F. Maddox Foundation (in memory of J.G. Boswell II)Mission Produce, Inc.Mulholland CitrusVessey and CompanyWestern Growers Association

PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP CIRCLE$25,000 and above

Azzule SystemsThe Borba Families – Mark and Sharon Borba Bowles Farming Company / Philip E. and Jamie N. BowlesCapital Insurance GroupC.H. Robinson WorldwideD’Arrigo Bros. Co. of CaliforniaDarlene DinDenise Godfrey Family / Olive Hill Greenhouses

Farm Credit: American AgCredit, CoBank, Farm Credit WestFoster FarmsHarden FoundationLagomarsino GroupGeorge and Kathleen MyersThe Norton FoundationSyngenta CorporationTMD CreativeWegis and Young / Mike Young, Rick Wegis, Greg Wegis

THE 1970 LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $10,000 and above

Bank of the WestBooth RanchesEd and Rosa Boutonnet Rose Marie BurroughsCharles Buchinger Memorial Endowment Fund Class 39Class 43Margaret DuflockMelissa DuflockE. & J. Gallo Winery Jim and Betsy HansenHayashi & Wayland International Paper CompanyThe Johannessen TrustKevin Grizzle Farms, LLCThe Klassen CorporationLimoneira Foundation FundCharlie and Sheila MathewsMonsanto CompanyBenina MontesPaul and Yvonne MuraiMark and Joann NickersonVernon and Carol Peterson / Abundant Harvest OrganicsRichard PidduckPrime TimeR. Gorrill Ranch EnterprisesRabobank, N.A.Rick Vorpe and Evelyn MatteucciSally Hughes Church Foundation Saticoy Lemon Association Union Bank of California FoundationTim York

FELLOWS LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $5,000 and above

AGR Partners Blue Diamond Growers

Edwin and Kaye CampClass 41 Craton CapitalGary CusumanoErrotabere RanchesFinch FarmsGail GrayGreenleaf Farms, Inc.Hidden Villa Ranch The James R. Moffett Family FoundationBradford and Randall Lange / LangeTwins Winery & VineyardsMcClarty Family FoundationMann Packing CompanyDavid and Melissa MartellaTom and Brianne McGrathCraig PedersenPerson & Son Cattle Co.Peter PetersonPrudential Ag InvestmentsRain for RentMeredith Rehrman RitchieRolling Ridge RanchJanette SmithRod and Carol StarkSupima Cotton Mary-Ann WarmerdamJohn Weiler

FUNDRAISING AND SPECIAL EVENTS

World Ag Expo Ag Leadership Alumni Breakfast>>Major sponsors ($15,000 and above): Zenith Insurance Company/Zenith Ag and State Compensation Insurance Fund

Dean Brown Golf Tournament>>Special thanks to Hampton Farming Company

Region 9 Golf Tournament>>Major sponsors: Calavo Growers and Paramount Citrus

Colusa Farm Show Breakfast

Common Threads, Fresno

Class 10 Tim O’Neill Memorial Fund

Life-Long Leadership Learning Seminar>>Major sponsors ($7,500 each): Agriland Farming Co., Inc., Bank of the West, Booth Ranches, Chevron, Greenleaf Farms & Prudential Agricultural Investments, Simplot, Wells Fargo Bank, and The Ag One Foundation & Fresno State.

OUR MAJOR CONTRIBUTORSJuly 1, 2011- October 31, 2014

SPECIAL THANKS TO


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