30 New Members Sworn into Potatoes USA Board

Published online: Mar 21, 2019 Articles
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The Potatoes USA annual meeting was held March 11-14 in Denver. During this meeting formal board business was conducted, including the swearing in of new members and the electing of new administrative committee and executive committee members.

This year, the USDA appointed 30 new members to the board to serve three-year terms. They were sworn in on March 14 by Patricia Petrella, deputy director of the Promotion and Economics Division of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s Specialty Crops Program.

Each year, board members are nominated by the industry and are then appointed by the secretary of agriculture. Potatoes USA’s board has about 100 members, consisting of growers, importers and one public member.

New board members are:

  • Nathan Bender, Bakersfield, Calif.
  • Ed Staunton, Tulelake, Calif.
  • Les Alderete, Del Norte, Colo.
  • Bevan Lenz, Wray, Colo.
  • Jason Tillman, Mosca, Colo.
  • Tyson Funk, American Falls, Idaho
  • Taylor Grant, Rupert, Idaho
  • Braden Lake, Rupert, Idaho
  • Rick Miller, St. Anthony, Idaho
  • Adam Nielsen, Jackson, Idaho
  • Jeff VanOrden, Blackfoot, Idaho
  • Tanner Wahlen, Aberdeen, Idaho
  • Colin Szawlowski, Hadley, Mass.
  • Ryan Crane, Hermon, Maine
  • Ben Zechmann, Kearney, Neb.
  • Leah Halverson, Grand Forks, N.D.
  • Luke Robison, Merrill, Ore.
  • Dan Gundersen, Burlington, Wash.
  • Rod Schutte, Othello, Wash.
  • Samueal Stahl, Ritzville, Wash.
  • Marvin Wollman, Warden, Wash.
  • Jon Gay, French Creek, W.Va.

The following growers were reappointed to the board:

  • Jason Davenport, Bakersfield, Calif.
  • Trever Belnap, Hamer, Idaho
  • Jaren Raybould, St. Anthony, Idaho
  • Steve Streich, Kalispell, Mont.
  • Dan Walchli, Hermiston, Ore.
  • Bryan Bender, Chambersburg, Pa.
  • Jordan Reed, Pasco, Wash.
  • Kevin Thaemert, Quincy, Wash.