Allan Parker, president and CEO of World Potato Congress Inc. today announced the appointment of Albert T. Wada as a member of the Board of Directors.
Wada is chairman and CEO of Wada Farms Inc., an irrigated farming enterprise in eastern Idaho growing fresh, process and seed potatoes, seed and commercial wheat, corn, alfalfa and hybrid canola seed.
Wada is a lifelong resident of Pingree, Idaho. He holds a bachelors degree in communications, and has been married 39 years to his wife, Christine. They have four children and four grandchildren.
Wada Farms Inc. includes six diversified farming locations in three counties, totaling nearly 30,000 irrigated acres. The enterprise also includes a trucking company, a fresh potato packing plant and a fresh potato and onion marketing company.
Recently, Wada further vertically integrated with other United Potato Growers of Idaho cooperative members into ownership of a dehydrated potato processing company, North American Foods, where he serves on the Board of Governors.
Albert recently served on the board of Northwest Farm Credit Services and serves as a director for Key Bank of Idaho. He is the founding chairman of United Potato Growers of Idaho, and of the United Potato Growers of America, and continues to serve on both United boards as immediate past chairman. Wada also serves on the National Potato Council Board of Directors.
He is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing his contribution to his chosen field, including:
2005
Potato Man of the Year, The Packer
2006
The Packer Top 25
2007
Potato Grower of the Year, Potato Growers of Idaho
2008
Idaho Governor's Award for Marketing Innovation
2008
Idaho Potato Expo Hall of Fame
President Parker stated, "We are very pleased that Albert has agreed to join our Board of Directors. With his background in commerce, his agribusiness experience and his commitment to excellence, he brings a wealth of experience. I am confident that Albert will make a significant contribution to World Potato Congress Inc."
Other directors on the WPC Board are vice-president David Thompson, PEI, Canada; secretary-treasurer, Brian Douglas, deputy minister of agriculture, PEI, Canada; Dr. Hubert Zandstra, former director-general of the International Potato Center, Lima, Peru; Ghislain Pelletier, vice-president Corporate Agriculture with McCain Foods Limited, Florenceville, NB, Canada; Romain Cools, secretary general - Europatat, the European Union of the (seed & ware) potato trade, Belgium; John Griffin, president of WP Griffin Inc., Montrose, PEI, Canada.
World Potato Congress Inc. is a non-profit organization. In cooperation with local Host Committees, WPC Inc. facilitates international congresses periodically, throughout the world.
The Congress functions to promote information sharing on all aspects of the potato industry between delegates from both developed countries and countries with developing potato industries. During the WPC tri-annual Congress, many business opportunities are contracted between companies from developed and developing countries.
Information on World Potato Congress activities can be seen on the organization's web site: www.potatocongress.org
For further information on the Congress and its activities contact:
John Coady, General Manager
World Potato Congress Inc.
420 University Ave. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 7Z5 Phone: 1-902-368-8885 Fax : 1-902-628-2225
Email: info@potatocongress.org
Web Site: www.potatocongress.org