IRVINE, CALIF. – The California Department of Food and Agriculture has seated newly elected California Avocado Commission (CAC) board members. The Board also named CAC’s executive officers Rob Grether, chairman; Ryan Rochefort, vice-chairman; Jason Cole, treasurer; and Jessica Hunter, secretary. All will serve one-year terms. 

“The CAC board and management are committed to prudently managing growers’ assessment dollars, ” said Tom Bellamore, president of the commission. “We thank the outgoing 2019-20 CAC board, under the direction of Chairman John Lamb, for their work to build balanced budgets and prioritize spending and we welcome the new board and executive officers.”  

The commission also approved returning and new members to its marketing committee. The committee, comprised of California avocado growers, farm managers and handlers, provides input and guidance about crop availability, advertising, promotion and program timing. 

“I would like to thank outgoing CAC marketing committee chair Bob Lucy for his outstanding service in that role for the last 11 years. We appreciate his leadership, wisdom and guidance,” said Jan DeLyser, CAC’s vice president of marketing. 

Lucy, president and partner of Del Rey Avocados, served as CAC’s Marketing Committee chair from July 2009 through 2020. The new committee chair is Gary Caloroso, regional business development director of Giumarra.