Three new directors were elected to the board of the International Tree Fruit Association during IFTA’s 53rd annual conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in early March, and two board members were re-elected.

The new directors, each of whom will serve a three-year term, are:

  • Phil Schwallier, Michigan State University extension tree fruit educator located at the Clarksville, Michigan, Horticultural Research Station.
  • Nathan Milburn, Milburn Orchards, Elkton, Maryland, operator of a tree fruit and berry farm and farm market with his father, Evan, and others family members.
  • Bill Dodd, program director of the Ohio Apples Marketing Program and president of the Ohio Fruit Growers Marketing Association, and operator of Hillcrest Orchards, Amherst, Ohio.

Those re-elected are:

  • Dan Boyer, Ridgetop Orchards, Fishertown, Pennsylvania, starting his second term.
  • Ed Wittenbach, Wittenbach Orchards, Belding, Michigan, starting his third (and thus final) three-year term.

Retiring from the board after nine years of service were Paul Simmons, Peace Valley Orchards, East Palestine, Ohio, and Bob Black, Catoctin Mountain Orchard, Thurmont, Maryland.