Feb 28, 2022

Balcom elected NPC president, new executive committee elected

The National Potato Council elected its executive committee for the coming year on Feb. 28 in Washington, D.C.

Jared Balcom of Pasco, Washington, will serve as president for the next term. Balcom has spent the past few years as an executive committee member focused on trade affairs.

“As I take on the position of NPC President, I’m hopeful we can continue to use the momentum we’ve built to leave NPC in a stronger position than when any of us arrived here,” said Balcom in his address to the organization’s Board of Directors. “Whether it’s in the areas of trade, nutritional regulations, environmental policies, or labor rules, we’ve seen firsthand what we can do as an industry when we stand together. As the country — and the world — reopens, we are hoping to get back to the new normal by advocating for a proactive policy agenda that is fighting for a brighter tomorrow.”

Balcom is the owner of a fourth-generation potato growing and fresh packing company Balcom and Moe based in Pasco, Washington. He previously served as NPC’s First VP and VP of the trade affairs committee. As president, Balcom will host the 2022 NPC Summer Meeting, June 16-17, in Nashville, Tennessee. The executive committee holds office for one calendar year.

The National Potato Council delegates also approved:

• RJ Andrus, Idaho Falls, Idaho — First VP and VP, Legislative Affairs. Andrus is in line to be the next president.
• Bob Mattive, Monte Vista, Colorado — VP, Environmental Affairs.
• Ted Tschirky, Pasco, Washington — VP, Trade Affairs. Tschirky fills Balcom’s vacated role as trade affairs vice president.
• Ben Sklarczyk, Johannesburg, Michigan — VP, Finance.
• Dean Gibson, Paul, Idaho — VP, Grower Outreach and Industry Research. Gibson joins the executive committee and fills Tschirky’s role as VP of grower outreach.

Gibson, a new member of the executive committee, is a controller at Magic Valley Produce in Paul, Idaho.

The 2021 President, Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine, will continue to serve on the executive committee as the Immediate Past President.

This week, the 2022 Executive Committee hosts the NPC Washington Summit, Feb. 28-March 3, which brings the industry together to “Stand Up for Potatoes on Capitol Hill.” This includes leading growers and industry partners as they visit with their representatives in Congress to communicate the industry’s policy priorities.

The industry’s policy priorities at this year’s Summit include:

• Supply chain challenges and inflation’s impact on the potato industry;
• Enhancing the U.S. potato industry through proactive trade policies;
• Encouraging the Senate to improve upon the Farm Workforce Modernization Act;
• Investing in the U.S. potato industry via the appropriations process; and,
• Protecting potatoes in USDA school meal programs.

For more on NPC’s policy priorities, visit nationalpotatocouncil.org/advocacy.