California Table Grape Commission Chairman Elected; Ian LeMay Comments

FRESNO, CA - Justin Parnagian, of Fowler Packing Company Inc., was recently elected to serve as the chairman of the California Table Grape Commission (commission) on April 30, 2026.

Justin Parnagian was preceded by Marko Zaninovich, of Sunview Vineyards, who served as commission chairman since 2024. “The commission is deeply appreciative of Marko’s leadership during a significant period of transition for our organization and industry,” said Ian LeMay, commission president, in the recent release. “Throughout his tenure as chairman, Marko demonstrated a tremendous respect for the legacy of the California table grape industry, while also maintaining a clear focus on the work necessary to position our industry for the future and address the challenges ahead. We are equally excited to welcome Justin into this leadership role and look forward to working alongside him as we continue advancing the mission of the commission and building upon the strong foundation of California table grapes both domestically and internationally.”

Six commissioners were also recently reappointed to their positions after district nomination meetings were held between March 3 and March 4, 2026: Jack Campbell, District 1; Wayde Kirschenman, District 2; Jon Paul Zaninovich, District 3; John D. Zaninovich, District 4; Gary Gipson, District 5; and Justin Parnagian, District 6.

The California Table Grape Commission was established in 1967 by an act of state legislature and is tasked with maintaining and expanding national and international markets for fresh California table grapes through advertising, education and outreach, trade management, issue management, and research efforts. Over 99 percent of table grapes commercially grown in the United States come from California and in 2025 California table grapes were exported to 56 countries around the world.