Nominations for board positions with several Pacific Northwest fruit industry groups will be held during upcoming horticultural meetings.

Cherry Marketing Committee

Nominations for three grower positions in District 1 will be held during the North Central Washington Stone Fruit Day at the Wenatchee Convention Center on January 19. Current members are: Dave Eichelberger, with John Senseney as alternate; Norm Gutzwiler with Lee Gale as alternate; and John Gebbers, with Kevin Stennis as alternate.

Nominations for two grower positions in District 2 will be held during the annual meeting of the Cherry Institute at the Yakima Convention Center, Washington. Current members are Gary Ormiston, with Mike O’Brien as alternate, and Ken Knight, with Steve Knight as alternate.

Nominations for handler positions in District 2 will be held during the annual meeting of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association at noon on January 9 at the Yakima Valley Convention Center. Current members are Don Gibson with Chris Falk as alternate and Rob Stewart with Peter Verbrugge as alternate.

Current members’ terms expire March 31. Positions are for two years.

The Cherry Marketing Committee establishes grade, size, and pack regulations for fresh sweet cherries from designated counties in Washington.

Washington State Fruit Commission

Nominations for two producer positions in District 2 will be held during the Cherry Institute meeting. Position 5 is held by Mark Roy and Position 6 by Mark Zirkle. Nominations for producer position 2 in District 1, held by Tate Mathison, will be held during the North Central Washington Stone Fruit Day.

Nominations for dealer position 14 in District 2, held by Peter Verbrugge, will be taken at the Yakima ­Valley Growers-Shippers Association meeting.

Fresh Pear Committee of Marketing Order 927

Nominations will be held during the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association annual meeting for a grower position currently held by Rod Matson with Robert Ball as first alternate and Dick Woodin as second alternate. Nominations for a second grower position will be held during the North Central Washington Pear Day on January 18 at the Wenatchee Convention Center. That position is held by Ray Schmitten with Daryl Harnden as first alternate and Robert Cowan as second alternate.

Nominations for a Mid-Columbia grower position will be held at the winter horticultural meeting at Pine Grove Grange in Hood River, Oregon, on January 31. The position, which expires June 30, is held by Erick von Lubken with Mark Laurance as first alternate and Dan Sheppard as second alternate.

Processed Pear Committee

Nominations for a Washington grower member and a Washington handler member, plus alternates, will be held during the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association meeting. Andrew Sundquist currently holds the grower position, with Paul Allison as first alternate and Dick Woodin as second alternate. The handler position is held by Rob Stewart with Peter Verbrugge first ­alternate and Rod Matson second alternate.

Nominations for a grower member from Oregon will be held at the annual winter horticultural meeting in Hood River. The position is currently held by Ken Goe with Chad Wimmers as first alternate and Camille Hukari as second alternate.

Nominations for two processor members, one each from Washington and Oregon, will be held during the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service in Yakima in February. The Washington member is Jeff Goshorn with Steve Carlson first alternate and Don Gibson second alternate. The Oregon member is Laura Spencer with Sue Root as first alternate and Rod Friesen as second alternate.

The pear committees are responsible for collecting assessments for research and promoting and advertising pears in the domestic and export markets.

For information about the Fresh Pear Committee nominations, contact Ashley Leathrop at (503)652-9720. For more information about the other ­nominations, contact B.J. Thurlby at (509) 453-4837.