M A R C H 2 0 1 9 4 POTATO GROWER 4 POTATO GROWER Changing Of The Guard At Valley Washplants by Ted Kreis, NPPGA Marketing and Communications Director When I started this job 15 years ago, I soon realized that I was about the same age as many of my peers, the fresh growers and shippers here in the Red River Valley region. With that realiza- tion it also occurred to me that there would have to be a changing of the guard, so to speak, for many operations in the not to distant future. Nearly all of the fresh shippers in the Red River Valley are family owned and operated organizations, so has been interesting to watch that next genera- tion find its way up and continue the long legacies that exist. Today I can happily report that the new generation is already well entrenched and doing a great job at a number of farms and packing sheds in the valley. The fol- lowing are some examples. Andy Moquist, Justin Schulz and Krissy Schulz are working with their dads, Dave Moquist and Thomas Schulz at O.C. Schulz and Sons in Crystal, North Dakota. Andy is the Plant Manager, Justin is the Farm Manager and Krissy is the Office Manager. At Black Gold Farms, Gregg Halverson has three of his children already in leadership positions, Eric is the Black Gold CEO, John is Black Gold’s COO and Leah is the CEO of Ten Acre Marketing, the marketing arm for Black Gold Farms. All have assumed leader- ship roles both locally and nationally. At Folson Farms, Bryan’s boys Casey and Caleb Folson are actively involved in the day to day business. Casey is the Sales, Marketing and Food Safety Manager, while Caleb is the Operations Manager. T.J. Hall has really stepped up at J.G. Hall and Sons in Hoople, North Dakota. Not only is he well on his way for taking over for his dad Greg at that plant, T.J. is also the part owner of another washplant in Hoople, H & S FreshPak, formerly Northern Valley Growers. Fred Hall’s sons Taylor and Jackson are also involved in that new venture along with Andy Moquist and Justin Schulz. Greg Campbell is not ready for retire- ment quite yet, nonetheless family continuation plans are already in place at Campbell Farms. Tom Campbell’s son Thomas is the Big Lake Farm Manager and Greg’s sons Austin and Braden are working for the organization in Grafton, North Dak- ota. At A & L Potato, Randy and Bonnie Boushey aren’t ready for retirement either, but the next generation is heav- ily involved. Daughter Jenni Bruer is at a sales desk, son-in-law Zach Bruer is the Farm Manager and another son-in- law Frankie Vargas is the washplant’s Production Manager. Although Associated Potato Growers is a grower owned co-op and not a family run organization, there has been a changing of the guard there as well. Paul Dolan, a former grower himself, managed the plant for the past 25 years before retiring in December. He has been replaced by Bryan Miller. This is a fine group coming in, some have already assumed leadership roles both locally and nationally including chairing the organization I work for, Northern Plains Potato Growers Association. Eric Halverson is the Immediate Past Chairman and T.J. Hall is the new Chairman of NPPGA. The future is truly in good hands for Red River Valley Potatoes as the next generation takes the reins. T.J. Hall (left) and Eric Halverson have both already assumed leadership roles as part of the "next generation" of fresh shippers in the Red River Valley.