Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1170186
15 ALMOND COMMUNITY Get to Know Your Board – Part Two In the July/August issue of How We Grow, we published Part One of our series, "Get to Know Your Board." In this series, we're profiling members and alternates of the 2019–20 Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors, which is composed of 10 members — 5 growers and 5 handlers — with each member having one alternate. This group of individuals embraces the California almond story and is living it every day, just like you. Read Part Two of this series below and be sure to check out future issues of How We Grow for features on other members. When did you first become involved in the industry? Brad Klump (BK): I joined the almond industry in 1992, when the crop size was about 500 million pounds and exports to China and Hong Kong were a combined 3.9 million pounds in the 1991–92 crop year and 5.9 million pounds in the 1992–93 crop year. I was 25 years old, fresh out of graduate school with a masters in International Management, and my first job in the industry was with the Almond Board. The Almond Board had around eight staff members when I joined, and prior to 1992 ABC did not have any international marketing programs. So, one of my first assignments was to start domestic and international marketing programs. From 1993 to 1995, I traveled the world conducting market studies in new and developing markets and attending trade shows on behalf of ABC. I even facilitated cooking demonstrations in China for more than 600 Chinese chefs, using almonds as a key ingredient. What does it mean to sit on ABC's Board of Directors? BK: It is an honor to be part of an industry that almost every other agricultural commodity group looks to for leadership. As a Board member, it is always important to remember that we are deciding how to use growers' dollars, and with 7,600 almond growers in California there are always different opinions about how that money should be spent. Overall, I think the Board is fiscally responsible, and we have accomplished many great things over the last 30 years. What about the industry do you most appreciate and take pride in? BK: Although the almond industry is a big business, it is relatively small in its number of people. I most appreciate the growers, processors, buyers, Almond Board staff and everyone else who works hard to move the industry forward. I have many friends in the industry and I cherish all those relationships. What industry accomplishment are you most proud of? BK: I think the biggest thing the industry can be proud of is growing our markets and maintaining a similar, if not higher, value for our crops. I think we also can be very proud of the things that have helped us increase our demand, including ABC's nutrition research program. There was actually a time when eating almonds was thought to lead to weight gain. Through Almond Board-funded research, we learned that there is hardly a better food in the world to eat than almonds, and that almond consumption can actually lead to weight loss and a lowering of cholesterol levels. What a change in mindset across the world, and a great message to share with dietitians and nutritionists! What advice would you give someone starting off in the almond industry? BK: If you are lucky enough to get in, don't leave. Whether you were born into the industry, hired in or bought your way in, it is a great industry with awesome people working together to move forward. What's your favorite way to eat almonds? BK: I have two favorite ways: I either dip a Hershey's chocolate bar with almonds into a jar of Nut Up's Sea Salt and Caramel Almond Butter, or I snack on Nut Up's Garlic Parmesan Chopped Roasted Almonds. Brad Klump Grower, BKI Exports, Inc. Member, ABC Board of Directors