Last week, Wayde Kirschenman, the Chairman of the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) Board of Directors announced that Daniel Hartwig has been selected to serve as the Association’s new president. Hartwig will succeed Ian LeMay, who has held the position since 2019 and will depart CFFA to assume the role of President/CEO of the California Table Grape Commission.
Chairman Kirschenman stated, “We are excited to welcome Daniel to the CFFA team and look forward to him continuing the long legacy of strong leadership on behalf of the California fresh fruit industry.” He continued, “Our Board engaged in a thorough search process to fill this important role and we are confident that Daniel’s experience in both association management and within the private agriculture sector have prepared him to serve our membership well. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Ian for his leadership and the positive impact he has made over the nine years as a CFFA team member. Ian’s service is greatly appreciated by our entire membership, and we are glad to know that he will remain within the fresh fruit family while he serves at the Commission.”
Hartwig has extensive experience in both the private sector and within agriculture associations. Since 2014, Hartwig has been employed by Woolf Enterprises, first as a Procurement Manager and most recently as their Director of Sustainability. From 2008 to 2014, Hartwig served as the Vice President of Grower Relations for the Nisei Farmers League. Beyond work, he has also served on the Board of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, most recently as the organization’s Board President from 2020-2022. Additionally, Hartwig is a recent graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class 49).
“I could not be more thrilled to join the great team at CFFA,” said Hartwig. “I have always had a deep admiration for the work done by the Association’s staff and the leadership of the board. I also look forward to working with our partners in the industry to continue to protect agriculture from the many threats before us.”
Hartwig will begin his tenure as CFFA President on December 4. Daniel and his wife Jennifer reside in Fresno with their two children, Brooke, and Colby.
About the California Fresh Fruit Association
For more than 87 years the California Fresh Fruit Association has been the primary government relations organization serving the fresh fruit industry. It is a voluntary public policy organization that works on behalf of our members – growers, shippers, marketers, and associates – on issues that specifically affect member commodities: fresh grapes, kiwis, pomegranates, cherries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines, interspecific varieties, plums, apples and persimmons. It is the Association’s responsibility to serve as a liaison between regulatory and legislative authorities by acting as the unified voice of our members. The challenges are countless for growers, shippers and marketers as they strive to remain viable in an ever-changing market. Increasing regulatory requirements make it difficult to flourish, regardless of the size of the operation.
Information courtesy of the California Fresh Fruit Association.
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