How We Grow

2020 May/June How We Grow

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A L M O N D O R C H A R D 2 0 2 5 G O A L S HARVEST DUST MOVERS AND SHAKERS Mark Jansen The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) recently elected Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO Mark Jansen as the 2020 Chair of its Board of Directors. "As we begin the next decade, and the next chapter of California's story, I'm proud to support CalChamber's integral role in leading California's diverse business community and supporting our strong workforce," said Jansen, who has served as Blue Diamond's CEO since 2010. CalChamber is a not-for-profit organization that leverages knowledge of laws and regulations to promote international trade and investment to stimulate California's economy and create jobs, in addition to providing products and services to help businesses comply with both federal and state law. Nichols Farms During the 2019 holiday season, Hanford-based Nichols Farms donated funds and canned food to the Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO). For every canned food item employees collected – 3,096 cans total, which went to KCAO's food bank – Nichols Farms agreed to match $5, totaling $15,480 donated towards other KCAO programs. KCAO provides a variety of services to families in Kings County, from its Head Start preschool and crisis housing programs to nutrition education. In 2018, Nichols Farms, an almond and pistachio grower and processor, participated in a food drive with FoodLink of Tulare County and donated 8,000 cans and $40,000 to the organization. (Courtesy of The Hanford Sentinel) William (Bill) Orts The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded Bill Orts with the Research Leader & Center Directorship Award "for exemplary, sustained scientific leadership with outstanding global impact on agriculturally-derived bioproduct development and commercialization through strong partnerships." Orts works as the research leader in Bioproducts at the Western Regional Research Center in Albany, CA, and continues to be a huge supporter of the California almond industry's efforts to find value-added uses of almond coproducts. Center Director Tara McHugh said Orts "leads a multi-disciplinary team (41 members, 13 PhDs) of chemists, molecular biologists, plant physiologists, biologists and engineers who have shown unusual creativity in developing strategies for 'zero waste agriculture' that is suitable in the Western States." Mark Jansen In late 2019, Nichols Farms donated $15,480 and 3,096 canned food items to Kings Community Action Organization. Photo courtesy of Nichols Farms. Bill Orts Movers and Shakers Recommendations Recommend a "mover and shaker" to be included in a future issue of How We Grow Email Ashley Knoblauch at aknoblauch@almondboard.com with the person's name and a paragraph explaining why you believe they deserve recognition. Almond Board of California 2

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