Tyler Price, a fourth-generation tree fruit grower and the CEO of Price Cold Storage and Packing Co. in Yakima, Washington, was elected chair of the Washington Apple Education Foundation’s board of directors at the foundation’s annual meeting, held at Central Washington University on April 24.
“We are honored to welcome Tyler as chairman,” said WAEF outgoing chair Rolando Martin, in a WAEF news release announcing the election. “His blend of strategic thinking, industry knowledge and passion for supporting students makes him an ideal leader.”
Before returning to the family business, Price helped shape the global product strategy for Nike and Apple, according to the release. He holds a business degree from the University of Washington and an MBA from Stanford University. In addition to leading Price Cold Storage, he serves on the University of Washington’s Consulting and Business Development Center board and was most recently the vice chair of WAEF, where he has served on the board since 2020.
Meanwhile, Martin, an area manager at Washington Fruit Growers, was recognized at the event for his steady leadership over the past year. He will continue as an officer of the foundation.
Additional WAEF officers who were also elected include:
—Vice chair: Nate Fulton, Yakima, Marsh McLennan Agency.
—Secretary: Robin Hansen, Wenatchee, Columbia Fruit Packers.
—Treasurer: Ben Jensen, Yakima, CPA.
—Investment Committee chair: Irene Birdsall, Wenatchee, McDougall and Sons.
—Resource Development Committee chair: Kailan Dunn, Yakima, HR Spinner Corp.
—Scholarship and Student Success Committee chair: Emily Bautista-Herdt, Wenatchee, Northwest Wholesale.
—Strategic Planning Committee chair: Nate Fulton, Yakima, Marsh McLennan Agency.
—Finance Committee chair: Ben Jensen, Yakima, CPA.
WAEF’s board of directors currently includes 20 members, each with ties to Washington’s tree fruit industry. A complete list of directors is available on the foundation’s website at: https://waef.org/board-of-directors/.
For more information about the Washington Apple Education Foundation, visit: waef.org.
—by Jared Johnson
