Bruce Allen
Bruce is President of Columbia Reach Pack in Yakima. He also owns, or is in partnerships, farming 1,470 acres of apples, pears, 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.

Tom Auvil
Tom is a research horticulturist with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and is also active in the management of the family’s 50-acre 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 two years as Chairman.  Tom received a B.S. 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 Dwarf Fruit Tree Association.  Tom served on the Orondo School Board for 16 years, 1986-2002.

George Chapman
George is the owner and operator of an apple and pear orchard located near Brewster.  He was employed for 34 years as the General Manager of MAGI, Inc., a cooperative located in Brewster. George has been on the Tree Top Board since 1980 and served two years as Chairman.  Before entering college, George served in the U.S. Navy. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Central Washington University and also attended the University of Washington.  George is a Director and past Chairman of Northwest Wholesale and is also a past Chairman of North Central Washington Bank.  He has worked as a consultant for CoBank and as a Court Appointed Receiver at Brewster Heights Packing.

Ray Colbert
Ray owns 200 acres of apple and pear orchard property near Tonasket and has been an active orchardist for 53 years.  He previously managed cooperative fruit packing firms for four years.  Ray also owned and managed his own packing firm for fourteen years.  He is the senior member of the Tree Top Board of Directors, having served since 1972.  For four of those years, Ray served as Board Chairman. He is a former member of the North Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners and previously served twelve years as a Public Utility District Commissioner.  Colbert is also a 49-year member of Kiwanis.

Dick Cowin
Dick is an owner in a 200 acre fruit growing, packing, and storage operation located near Wapato.  The operation, which focuses on apples, pears, and cherries, was started by his grandfather, Earle Cowin, in the early 1900’s.  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
Ray manages the family-owned Apple King, LLC, in Gleed.  This grower-packer-shipper operation raises apples, pears, and cherries 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.  He serves as President of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.  Ray is also past Director of United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association, the Washington Growers League, and Farm Credit Services.

Ed Kershaw
Ed is a fourth generation grower, shipper, and marketer from Yakima.  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, the marketing arm of Kershaw Companies.  Domex represents Northwest growers and shippers to the global marketplace.  Kershaw is past Chairman of the Washington Apple Commission.  Currently he is a Trustee of the U.S. Apple Association and is chairman of the Northwest Horticulture Council.  For his industry service he was awarded the Packer Publication’s “Apple Person of the Year” in 1999. Kershaw has served on boards of 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 U.S. Army.

Dick Olsen
Dick is a partner, with his brother Larry, in Olsen Brothers Ranches located near Prosser and operates a diversified ranch of apples, hops, and grapes.  Dick has been a Tree Top Director since 1988.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Washington.  Dick is a past President of the Washington State Horticultural Association and a past Chairman for both the Benton Conservation Commission and the Benton County Clean Water Authority.  He has previously served as a Washington State Wine Commissioner, a Director of Appellation Yakima, and a Director of Prosser Memorial Hospital.

Randy Smith
Randy is an orchardist who owns and leases 115 acres of apples, pears, and cherries near Cashmere, which he has operated for the past 31 years. 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; and the WA Ag. President’s Group. Randy currently serves as the national secretary for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching, is on the steering committee of the Farm Foundation’s Bennett Agricultural Round Table, and is active in his local Rotary Club.

Doug Stockwell
Doug is a Partner and the General Manager of the Highland Partnership, a 1,000+ acre fruit growing operation located near Bridgeport. 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
Roger is President of Strand Apples, Inc., a family-owned corporation with several hundred acres in the Tieton-Cowiche area. 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.

Fred Valentine -- Chairman of The Board
Fred owns and operates 15 acres of apples and pears near Wenatchee. He is also employed as a Field Man by Stemilt Growers. Fred’s previous experience includes Field Man for Dole Northwest for eight years and Production Manager for Blue Star Growers for 30 years.  He has served on the Tree Top Board since 1983. Fred attended Wenatchee Valley College. He is past President of both the Washington State Horticultural Association and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. Fred is currently a member of the North Central Washington Fieldmen’s Association.