Potato LEAF reaches $2 Million Founders Society Goal

The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) has achieved its inaugural fundraising goal of $2 million for 2020. 

Launched at Potato Expo 2020 in Las Vegas, Potato LEAF was created to provide tools, training and support necessary to develop growers and industry members as leaders, according to a news release.

“We challenged the industry with an ambitious goal, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of the response, particularly during an incredibly uncertain year,” Potato LEAF Board Member Gregg Halverson said in the release. “We want to thank the growers, businesses, allied partners, and state and national potato organizations who stepped up to the plate during Potato LEAF’s first year. The solid financial foundation provided by these Founders Society members will ensure Potato LEAF will be able to meet its mission for years to come.” 

The Potato LEAF Founders Society, created to acknowledge the inaugural contributors to the foundation, recognizes individuals and businesses making pledges and contributions of $10,000 or more, according to the release. The Potato LEAF board of directors has extended the opportunity to become a member of the Founders Society. Pledges can now be made through the end of 2021, with fulfillment by the end of 2023. A list of Founders Society members is available online.

Potato LEAF has live activities Jan. 5-6 at its virtual expo booth during Potato Expo 2021. Those events, according to the release, are set or 10:30 a.m. Pacific with the topics Achieving Success at a Virtual Event and Potato Industry Leadership Institute Alumni.

Potato LEAF has created a program to support graduates of its Potato Industry Leadership Institute, called the Institute Alumni Summit. The event, open to past graduates of the institute, will take place virtually, July 13-15, according to the release.

Over the three days, the the summit will provide alumni with training sessions designed with tips attendees can use to improve leadership skills. 

The schedule topics include:

• July 13: Refining Your Leadership Skills;
• July 14: Refining Your Conflict Management; and 
• July 15: Boosting the Team’s Morale.

“We’ve always seen the need for a continuing education program like the Institute Alumni Summit, and the creation of the Potato LEAF provided the platform to turn that vision into a reality,” Dan Moss, Potato LEAF board member, said in the release. “Through the Institute Alumni Summit, we look forward to further investing in the emerging leaders within the U.S. potato industry.”   

Registration information will be available soon, according to the release.