California Grapegrowers Find New Leader

CAWG picks John Aguirre of the Oregon Association of Nurseries for president

Sacramento, Calif. -- Following a search that began at the end of 2009, the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) has chosen an out-of-state candidate as its leader. John Aguirre brings deep agricultural advocacy roots from his previous role, 11 years as executive director of the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), a trade association representing those who grow, handle and retail Oregon’s ornamental horticulture products. That association has 1,200 members, a staff of 13 people and an annual operating budget of $2.9 million.

Aguirre steps into the position held for 13 years by the tireless Karen Ross, who late last year resigned to accept an appointment as chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak. CAWG’s nine-member search committee, led by CAWG chair Kim Ledbetter Bronson of Vino Farms, worked with professional headhunters MIXTEC Group to find a suitable replacement.

The confidential process started by considering some 200 candidates, Ledbetter told Wines & Vines. MIXTEC conducted personal interviews with two dozen, and the CAWG committee met with the top five applicants before making its final selection, Ledbetter said.  Aguirre will take the helm on June 1.

CAWG advocates for California’s winegrape growers, whose crops contribute more than $2 billion annually to the state’s economy. Aguirre will oversee the association’s membership, legislative, regulatory and marketing activities, including the massive Unified Grape and Wine Symposium organized every January by CAWG and the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.
 
“California winegrape growers have led the way in so many aspects of the agricultural community,” Aguirre stated. “They are innovative, forward-thinking stewards of the land and it will be an honor and privilege to represent and serve CAWG members.”

According to CAWG’s announcement, during his tenure at OAN, Aguirre demonstrated strong leadership on plant pest and disease issues, working closely with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address issues that are of equal importance to CAWG’s constituency. This paved the way for the agencies to test-pilot innovative new approaches to managing plant pest and disease risks in Oregon with the launch of the Grower Assisted Inspection Program and the U.S. Nursery Certification Program.

“His experience in government affairs, as well as the unprecedented parallels between the Oregon Association of Nurseries and CAWG, made him the top choice,” Ledbetter Bronson stated.

She said today that because of Ross’ strong leadership, the organization is “definitely in a good place. Advocacy is our most important topic for growers: Advocacy with regulators and others will continue to be our top priorities. We want to educate both growers and consumers. We want to get out the information to consumers about our growers’ good practices, so they will choose wines with the California label over those from another country.

“I think John will be a great asset to the industry,” she concluded.