Kent Beesley may be leaving the Idaho Potato Commission behind when he retires at the end of January, but his passion for the state’s spuds isn’t going anywhere, said the longtime IPC retail promotion director-West/Canada.

“I still intend to make sure my favorite local grocery stores are carrying Idaho® potatoes,” said Beesley, who lives in western Colorado. “Nothing upsets me more than seeing a retailer remove Idaho potatoes — it’s personal to me. So even in retirement, it’s my mission to ensure that all of our area supermarkets are offering Idahos in the produce department. I’ll do whatever

With more than 25 years of produce industry experience under his belt, Patrick Mills has joined the Idaho Potato Commission as retail promotion director West/Canada following the retirement of Kent Beesley.

“I’ve always admired how Idaho constantly works on new potato varieties and improvements in potato quality,” said Mills, who most recently worked in produce management positions at Bashas’ and Sal Amato Produce. “When Idaho potatoes are a prominent part of the produce department, I’ve seen how they help build bigger baskets and keep shoppers coming back for more. And the Idaho potato

Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. announced the retirement of Don Woods Jr., vice chair of the AWG board of directors. Woods, owner of Woods Super Markets Inc., served on the AWG board for more than 38 years, serving as vice chair for 24 years. AWG board member Dale Trahan, owner of Dale L. Trahan Enterprises Inc., was appointed to serve as AWG’s vice chair.

With Woods’ retirement, the board elected Steve Clarke to serve as his successor. Clarke serves as the vice president of County Fair Inc., a family-owned-and-operated company operating six stores in Nebraska and South Dakota.

“On behalf

Impact can be defined by the big accomplishments, but it’s also the thousands of small things that add up to separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. Stemilt Senior Vice President of Business Strategy Mike Taylor was presented the Silver Pear Award at the Washington State Tree Fruit Association Annual Meeting and NW Hort Show awards banquet on Dec. 5 in Kennewick, WA. Douglas Fruit, a grower and marketing partner of Stemilt, was also honored as a 2023 Growers of the Year.

“It’s a wonderful honor to receive this award,” said Taylor. “I’m grateful to have come from a passionate pear

Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Plant City, FL-based Wish Farms, was awarded the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s most prestigious honor: induction into the FSGA Hall of Fame. The yearly award is given to an individual or individuals who exhibit a lifetime of devoted support to Florida strawberries.

“Gary has been a lifelong supporter of the Florida strawberry industry and an advocate pushing for progress in technology, innovation and more sustainable practices,” said FSGA Executive Director Kenneth Parker. “From push carts to robots, Gary has kept the culture of Wish Farms thriving by

CMI Orchards announced several high-powered new leadership changes. Bob Mast, president of CMI, highlights the crucial role of the new leadership team in sustaining the company’s upward trajectory. “CMI has witnessed a remarkable upswing in the past decade,” said Mast.

“We’ve nearly doubled our volume since 2014 and expanded our portfolio to ensure a year-round supply for our retail partners," said Mast. "Our staff size has grown exponentially, and we have placed a huge focus on staff development and operational improvements. As we anticipate further expansion, adding to our top-tier