Feb 26, 20242024 Potato LEAF Leadership Institute class meets, travels to Washington Summit
The 2024 Potato LEAF Leadership Institute kicked off last week in Boise, Idaho, at the headquarters of agribusiness company Simplot.
Bryan Bender, the grower leader selected from the 2023 class and Spudman’s 2023 Emerging Leader award winner, shared his experiences from the 2023 institute.
The 2024 class (.pdf) also received welcomes and updates from state and national organizations, including the Idaho Potato Commission, Potatoes USA and the National Potato Council, before touring the Chobani yogurt factory in Twin Falls and Double L Manufacturing in Heyburn.
The group then met with industry and manufacturing partners before traveling to Washington, D.C., to take part in the NPC Washington Summit.
A combined meeting of the former NPC Annual Meeting and Potato DC Fly-in, the NPC Washington Summit provides a forum for potato industry members to discuss, define and advocate for the policy priorities impacting their businesses and protecting their ability to farm.
At the summit, new NPC leadership will be elected and newly appointed board and committee members seated.
2024 Officer Elections
On Feb. 26, the nominating committee will present the following officer nominations:
- Bob Mattive, president
- Ted Tschirky, first vice president and vice president, trade affairs
- Dean Gibson, legislative affairs
- Ben Sklarczyk, environmental affairs
- TJ Hall, finance
- Chris Olsen, grower outreach and industry relations
- RJ Andrus, immediate past president
