The Mushroom Council welcomed two new board members and elected new officers for 2025 during its February meeting in San Antonio.
The nine-member council is composed of eight domestic growers and one importer representing four regions. The program’s purpose is to maintain and expand existing mushroom markets and uses.
The newly elected board members are Chris Alonzo of Pietro Industries (Region 2) and Tony Stachurski of Kitchen Pride (Region 1), according to a news release.
Also at the meeting, the council honored outgoing board member Meghan Klotzbach of C.P. Yeatman and Sons/Mother Earth for her many years of service to the council and industry.
Newly elected officers are:
- Chairperson — Michael Stephan, Monterey Mushrooms.
- Vice chairperson — Pat Jurgensmeyer, J-M Farms.
- Secretary: — Laura Matar, Giorgio Mushrooms.
- Treasurer — Jack Guan, Terra Garden/Guan’s Mushroom.
The officers’ responsibilities include ensuring the council develops and implements an annual research, marketing and promotions plan, and ensuring the council manages and follows its annual budget, the release said.
The full board now consists of:
Region 1 (includes all states except for California and Pennsylvania)
- Pat Jurgensmeyer, J-M Farms Inc.
- Michael Stephan, Monterey Mushrooms.
- Tony Stachurski, Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farm.
Region 2 (includes Pennsylvania)
- Tina Ellor, Phillips Mushroom Farms
- Laura Matar, Giorgio Mushrooms
- Keith Silfee, Needham Mushrooms
- Chris Alonzo, Pietro Industries
Region 3 (includes California)
- Jack Guan, California Terra Garden/Guan’s Mushroom
Region 4 (includes importers)
- Kelly Hale – Highline Mushrooms
Calls for nominations for 2026-2028 term
A call for nominations is now open for three-year terms beginning Jan.1, 2026. Completed nomination forms must be emailed or postmarked no later than May 1, 2025.
The regions with positions available are:
- Region 1 (all states except California and Pennsylvania) — two three-year terms
- Region 2 (Pennsylvania) — one three-year term
All producers, who produce on average over 500,000 pounds of mushrooms annually for fresh use and are not exempt may nominate one or more candidates, provided that they produce within the specified region, the release said.
To qualify as a candidate or to nominate a candidate, an individual must be a producer. Producer means any person engaged in the production of mushrooms who owns or shares the ownership and risk of loss of such mushrooms and who produces, on average, over 500,000 pounds of mushrooms per year for the fresh market and not exempt from paying assessments.
