Stemilt's Late Founder Tom Mathison Honored With Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award

WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt founder Tom Mathison was honored posthumously by the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation (or Ag Forestry) with the 2011 Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award. Stu Bledsoe was a well-known agriculture leader and served as the executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association from 1978-1988.

Mathison became the first person to be honored with this award posthumously. He was recognized during the May 6th graduation ceremony for Ag Forestry Class 32, which his relative and Stemilt grower, Noel Mathison, was a graduating member of.

Ag Forestry is a leadership development program founded in 1978 for adults working within and connected to Washington state's agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries. Every 18 months, a new group of selected participants start attending regular seminars throughout the state in order to develop their leadership skills and understand the key issues facing the industry today.

As graduation nears, the class nominates and then selects one industry member to receive the Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award. Abigail Snyder, the executive director of Admyn.com in Wenatchee and Class 32 graduate, nominated Tom Mathison.

According to Ag Forestry, Tom Mathison was selected as this year's award recipient for his "lifetime of leadership and commitment to demonstrating the value of working together to the betterment of our natural resources." Lavonne van Someren Gréve, Mathison's daughter, accepted the award on his behalf.

Tom Mathison founded Stemilt Growers in 1964 with the goal of delivering return to the land by building consumer demand for fresh fruit. He spent most of his life working to advance the tree fruit industry and was the driving force in brining Washington fruit to the global marketplace. Mathison passed away in 2008 at the age of 82.

About Stemilt

Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and the largest supplier of organic tree fruits in the nation. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company's Responsible Choice program.

Source: Stemilt