IRVINE, CA - We recently reported that Dave Puglia will succeed Tom Nassif come next February. Now, Western Growers Association is adding a few more Board members to bolster its roster. During the Western Growers 94th Annual Meeting in Maui, Hawai’i, Ryan Talley, Co-Owner and Farm Manager of Talley Farms, was announced to assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Talley will serve as Chairman for a one-year term and will be taking over the responsibilities of outgoing Chairman Ron Ratto, President of Ratto Bros.
“Ryan’s successful tenure at Talley Farms and his significant personal accomplishments make him the ideal choice to be the next Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors,” said Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif. “With his stellar track record on the board, there is no doubt in my mind that Ryan, along with the rest of the Western Growers Board, is poised to truly lead the organization and the fresh produce industry to even greater heights.”
According to a press release, Talley has been committed to agriculture for more than three decades and spearheads Talley Farms, a diversified family-owned farming company and grower-shipper of bell peppers, cilantro, spinach, lettuce, Napa cabbage, avocados, lemons, and grapes. Talley earned his bachelor of science in business from Purdue University and subsequently returned to the farm to help write the computer programs Talley Farms currently uses for production, planning, their mechanic ship, and the nursery. The farm is committed to supplying consumers with the best and freshest produce that California has to offer, following the company’s vision to strive for ‘Excellence in Everything.’
“Western Growers has been a staple organization in the agriculture industry for nearly a century, and Talley Farms is proud to have been a part of its legacy since 1970,” said Talley. “I am both eager and honored to embark on this new role as Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, working with the rest of the board to further our commitment to the industry.”
During the 94th annual meeting, the Board also selected Albert Keck of Hadley Date Gardens as Senior Vice Chairman, Stuart Woolf of Woolf Enterprises as Vice Chairman, Carol Chandler of Chandler Farms as Treasurer, and Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies as Secretary.
Congratulations to all the newly elected members! Stay with ANUK as we bring more exciting developments in the produce industry.
