Board of Directors
Tom Auvil, Chairman (Northern District)

Tom Auvil (Northern District)
Tom is a research horticulturist with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and is also active in the management of the family’s orchard. He previously supervised Field Services for the Trout/Blue Chelan Cooperative for 21 years. He has served on the Tree Top Board since 1988 and served four years as Chairman. Tom received a BS degree in Horticulture from Washington State University. Tom is a member of the North Central Washington Fieldmen’s Association, the Washington State Horticultural Association and the International Fruit Tree Association. Tom served on the Orondo School Board for 16 years, 1986-2002.

Bruce Allen (Southern District)

Bruce Allen (Southern District)
Bruce is President of Columbia Reach Pack in Yakima, Washington. He also owns, or is in partnerships, farming 2,500 acres of apples and cherries. He has served on the Tree Top Board since 1994. Bruce earned a B.A. degree in Economics from Whitman College and attended the State University of New York at Albany. He is a past Chairman of both the Washington Horticultural Association and the Washington State Apple Commission, and has served on the Tree Fruit Research Commission. Bruce is a member and past President of the Yakima Pom Club and a graduate of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Leadership Program. Bruce also serves on the Highland School District Board.

Ray Colbert (Northern District)

Ray Colbert (Northern District)
Ray is a lifelong resident of Okanogan County, Washington. He grows apples and pears near Tonasket. Ray owned and managed his own packing firm for 14 years. An active grower since 1952, he has also served 12 years as a Public Utility District Commissioner, seven years as a hospital board member and is a 53-year Kiwanis member. Ray is the senior member of the Tree Top Board of Directors, having served since 1972, including two years as Chairman.

Dick Cowin (Southern District)

Dick Cowin (Southern District)
Dick is an owner in a 245 acre fruit growing, packing, and storage operation located near Wapato, Washington. The original operation, which focused on apples, pears, and cherries, was started by his grandfather, Earle Cowin, in the early 1900’s and has grown to include additional acreage of those fruits as well as nectarines and apricots. He also owns, or is partner in, an additional 320 acres devoted to tree fruits. Dick has served on the Tree Top Board of Directors since 1987 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Washington State University. Dick is a past President of the Washington State Horticultural Association, the Cherry Institute, and the Yakima Pom Club. He is also a past Cherry King.

Ray Keller (Southern District)

Ray Keller (Southern District)
Ray manages the family-owned Apple King, LLC., in Gleed, Washington. This grower-packer-shipper operation raises apples, and pears on 750 acres. Ray has been a Tree Top director since 1987 and is a past Chairman of the Board. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Economics from Washington State University. Ray is past Chairman of the U.S. Apple Association as well as past Director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association. He is also past Director of United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association, the Washington Growers League, and Farm Credit Services and has served on the Highland School District Board.

Ed Kershaw, Vice Chairman (Southern District)

Ed Kershaw, Chairman (Southern District)
Ed is a fourth generation grower, shipper, and marketer from Yakima, Washington. He is Vice President of the family-operated Kershaw Companies that incorporate vertically integrated growing, packing, and marketing. Kershaw also serves as CEO of Domex Superfresh Growers, the marketing arm of Kershaw Companies. Domex Superfresh Growers represents Northwest growers and shippers to the global marketplace. Kershaw is past Chairman of the Northwest Horticultural Council and the Washington Apple Commission and is a former trustee of the US Apple Association. Ed also currently serves as a board member of the Produce Marketing Association. For his industry service, Ed has been recognized by The Packer publication with two honors; the 1999 “Apple Person of the Year” award and he was named one of the "Top 25 Produce People" in 2008. Kershaw has served on the Board of Directors for the Yakima Chamber of Commerce, Providence Hospital, and Pioneer National Bank. A native of Yakima, Kershaw received his B.A. in Economics in 1961 from the University of Washington in Seattle, followed by a tour of duty in the US Army.

Warren Morgan (Northern District)

Warren Morgan (Northern District)
Warren is an orchardist with ownership interest in more than 300 acres of apples, cherries, and apricots in the North Columbia Basin of Washington State. In addition, he is the President of Double Diamond Fruit and has been a stockholder in the apple packing operation since its founding in 1986. Warren’s family has a long history with Tree Top; his grandfather, Victor Morgan, was on the original Board of Directors, and the family has been active members for more than 40 years. Warren grew up in Quincy, Washington, earned a degree in Horticulture from WSU in 1981, and returned to Quincy, where he lives with his wife and two children. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Growers Clearinghouse, as well as a Past President of the Washington State Horticultural Association.

Michael Smith (Southern District)

Michael Smith, Secretary/Treasurer (Southern District)
Mike farms over 1,400 acres operated by three farming entities, including several apple varieties, cherries, hops, and alfalfa. He is one of the founding members of Olympic Fruit, along with three other fruit growing families. Mike also participated in the organization of Sage Fruit Company, providing apple marketing and sales services for Olympic Fruit, Valley Fruit; and Larson Fruit. He currently serves as a member of Sage’s Executive Committee. Mike is also a founding member of Yakima Chief, Inc.; is a past member of the East Valley School District Board of Directors; serves on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Banner Bank. Mike attended Washington State University, where he studied Agricultural Economics.

Randy Smith

Randy Smith, Vice Chairman (Northern District)
Randy is an orchardist who owns and leases 125 acres of apples, pears, and cherries near Cashmere, Washington, which he has operated since 1975. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in Sociology. Randy is a past Cashmere School Board Member, as well as past chairman of the following organizations: Washington State Horticultural Assn; WA Growers Clearing House; WA Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation; Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at WSU; the WA AG. President’s Group and the National Council for Agricultural Research Extension and Teaching. Randy currently serves as the Vice President of the Chelan County PUD Commission and is active in his local Rotary Club.

Doug Stockwell (Northern District)

Doug Stockwell (Northern District)
Doug is a partner and the General Manager of the Highland Partnership, a 1,000+ acre fruit growing operation located near Bridgeport, Washington. He also owns and manages Orondo Orchards, which includes 100 acres of apple and cherry orchards near Orondo. He has been a Tree Top Director since 1994 and served as Tree Top’s Chairman of the Board from 2000-2002. Doug holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington State University. He is President of the Cameo Apple Marketing Association.

Roger Strand (Southern District)

Roger Strand (Southern District)
Roger is President of Strand Apples, Inc., a family-owned corporation with several hundred acres in the Tieton-Cowiche area of Washington State. The warehousing portion of the operation handles fruit for approximately 40 additional growers. Roger previously taught in Seattle Public Schools for nine years. Roger has served on the Tree Top Board since 1983 and is a past Chairman. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Washington. Roger belongs to the Washington State Horticultural Association, the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association, and is a Director of the Washington Apple Education Foundation. Roger is a former member of the Washington State Apple Commission and served 20 years on the Highland School Board.

Jim Divis, (Northern District)

Jim Divis, (Northern District)
Jim is Assistant General Manager of Chelan Fruit Company - a cooperative that ships 6-7 million boxes of apples annually. Having grown up on a small family farm, Jim pursued his interest and love of the industry and graduated in 1985 with a BS degree in Horticulture from Washington State University. He immediately began working as a field man for MAGI Inc. where he quickly moved into warehouse operations before achieving the position of General Manager. Three complex organizational mergers later created what is now Chelan Fruit Company and Chelan Fresh Marketing. Jim is a also a founding board member of Chelan Fresh Marketing and board member of Washington Pear Marketing Association. He is active grower with 130 acres of apples and pears in the Brewster, Washington area.

 

Commitees of the Board

Policy Grower Relations

Ray Keller, Chair
Tom Auvil
Ray Colbert
Dick Cowin
Jim Divis 
Doug Stockwell
 

Staff Liaison

Lindsay Buckner
Larry Martin
 

House/Compensation

Mike Smith, Chair
Bruce Allen
Ray Colbert

Dick Cowin

Warren Morgan          

Roger Strand
 

Staff Liaison

Tom Stokes
Larry Martin
 

Finance/Audit

Randy Smith, Chair
Bruce Allen
Tom Auvil
Jim Divis

Warren Morgan
Doug Stockwell

Roger Strand
 

Staff Liaison

Dwaine Brown

Executive

Ed Kershaw, Chairman
Randy Smith, Vice-Chairman
Mike Smith, Secretary-Treasurer
Tom Auvil, Immediate Past Chairman
Bruce Allen, Past Chairman
 

Staff Liaison

Tom Stokes
Larry Martin