Travis Allan, Secretary/Treasurer (Southern District-#2)
Travis is a fourth generation grower-owner of Washington apples, pears, cherries and wine grapes. He is currently the owner and responsible for orchard management for Allan Brothers Fruit, Inc. The core of the company’s operations are on its main campus located in Naches, WA, and includes two apple packing lines, two cherry packing lines, shipping and receiving docks, regular and controlled atmosphere storage warehouses, as well as the orchard management and corporate offices. Travis holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from Washington State University and is a graduate of the Ag Forestry Leadership program. He enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and two children.
Bruce Allen (Southern District-#1)
Bruce is President of Columbia Reach Pack in Yakima, Washington. He also owns, or is in partnerships, farming 3,000 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.
Tom Auvil (Northern District-#1)
Tom is a horticulturist with North American Plants and is active in the management of the family’s orchard. He previously worked for Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. He worked in the Field Services department for the Trout/Blue Chelan Cooperative for 20 years, as supervisor for 15 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 Tree Fruit Association and the International Fruit Tree Association. Tom served on the Orondo School Board for 16 years from 1986-2002.
Jim Divis (Northern District-#2)
Jim is General Manager of Honeybear Growers – an upstart warehouse in Brewster focusing on premium Honeycrisp. 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. He was heavily involved in the formation of Chelan Fruit and Chelan Fresh Marketing prior to moving on to Honeybear Growers. Jim is also a board member at Northwest Wholesale Inc. Jim and his wife Dana are active growers with 200 acres of apples and pears in the Brewster, Washington area.
Johnny Gebbers, Vice-Chairman (At Large Position-#4)
Johnny is the Operations Manager for the Gebbers Farms Warehouse Facility. Gebbers Farms is a family owned, vertically integrated farming, packing and selling operation for apples, pears and cherries. Johnny attended Gonzaga and Whitworth University graduating in 2001 from Gonzaga with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. While at both Gonzaga and Whitworth he enjoyed playing basketball and baseball. He returned to Brewster in 2001 and began working in the family’s warehouse. He assumed his current role of operations manager in 2004. Johnny serves on the Board at Northwest Wholesale and is a committee member for the Washington Tree Fruit Research Center’s Apple Advisory Committee. He is also a grower, farming 200 acres of apples, cherries and pears with his three brothers in Brewster, WA.
Alan Groff, Chairman (Northern District-#3)
Alan is the owner of Foreman Fruit Company raising apples, pears and cherries in the Wenatchee area. Alan studied electrical and computer engineering at Ohio State and Devry Institute of Technology and has a Ph.D. in Health Science and Technology from Harvard-MIT. After graduate school and prior to relocating west to join the tree fruit industry, Alan worked for McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, where he advised large corporations on their business practices. Alan grew up on a dairy farm in Lancaster, PA, and returned to farming to apply his business and science background in an industry he believes has tremendous opportunity. Alan is a member in the Northwest Pear Research Board and a member of WSU’s Endowment Advisory Committee.
Bryon McDougall (Northern District #4)
Bryon is Vice President of McDougall and Sons Inc., a vertically integrated growing and packer of apples, pears, and cherries in Wenatchee, WA. Since returning to the family business in 2003, Bryon has worked in various areas of the company’s warehouse operations ranging from production manager, plant manager, and Director of Operations overseeing all warehouse operations. He currently oversees all warehouse operations for McDougall and Sons’ three packing facilities related to receiving, storage, and packing apples, pears, and cherries as well as working directly with CMI, the sales and marketing arm, to meet company sales targets. Bryon is a 2003 graduate of Tulane University with a degree in Business Administration.
Michael Smith (Southern District-#3)
Mike and his family farm over 3,500 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, Legacy Fruit Growers and Valicoff Fruit Company. He currently serves as a member of Sage’s Executive Committee. Mike is also a founding member of Yakima Chief-Hopunion, LLC., is a past member of the East Valley School District Board of Directors; serves on the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee of Banner Bank. Mike attended Washington State University, where he studied Agricultural Economics.
Doug Stockwell (At Large Position-#2)
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.
Robert Kershaw (At Large Position-#3)
Robert is a fifth-generation grower, packer, shipper and marketer of Northwest-grown fruit. As CEO of Domex Superfresh Growers, Robert and his team support retailers in more than 50 countries. He currently serves on the Washington State Fruit Commission board and is a past board member of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, Washington Apple Growers Marketing Association and the Produce Marketing Association. Robert graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Economics. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys spending time in the mountains and on the water with his wife and two sons.
Jordan Matson (Southern District #4)
Jordan Matson is the fifth-generation owner at Matson Fruit Company and current General Manager. In this position, he oversees the packing, storing and distribution of apples and pears to locations across the globe. Over the past 18 years he has been at the forefront within the industry in adapting and implementing new technologies at Matson Fruit Company. His passion for the Yakima Valley and the Tree Fruit industry is evident by serving on boards and committees including Rotary, Selah Education Foundation, Yakima County Development Association, Capitol Theater, Washington State Tree Fruit Association, Fresh Pear Committee, Northwest Pear Bureau, and numerous other committees regarding safety, food safety, ecology, education, and scientific research. Jordan is married to his high school friend Amy. Together they have three young children.
Mark Stennes (At Large Position - #1)
Mark Stennes is the Director of Business Development for Agrimacs, Inc., a leading orchard management company with over 6,000 acres under management. Previously, Mark served as the CEO of Chelan Fruit Cooperative, a 200-member apple, pear, and cherry company with roots dating back to 1910. He is a fourth-generation apple grower whose family has been farming since 1894. Mark has served on various industry-related boards including the US Apple Association, Washington Apple Commission, Washington State Tree Fruit Association, Washington Growers Clearinghouse Association, Washington Horticultural Association, and Washington Farm Labor Association. Mark holds an undergraduate degree in horticulture from Wenatchee Valley College, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Central Washington University, and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Boise State University. He lives in the Methow Valley with his wife and 4 children, the 5th generation on the family farm.