(UPDATED April 11) Christopher Valadez is the new president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, Salinas.
Valadez announced his new role in a resignation letter to the California Fresh Fruit Association, where he’s been director of environmental and regulatory affairs. He joined the association 11 years ago, when it was known as the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, Fresno.
The e-mailed letter, dated April 10, doesn’t specify when Valadez will officially become the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, but he plans to aid in the transition by continuing to serve at the California Fresh Fruit Association for the “next month or so.”
Valadez succeeds Jim Bogart, the association’s longest-serving president, in May. Bogart has been with the group 21 years.
“I have known Chris for several years and have worked closely with him on a wide variety of issues, challenges, projects and strategies affecting agriculture,” Bogart said in a news release. “I believe he has the experience, intelligence, demeanor and skill set to do a great job for GSA and its members in the years to come. It has been an honor to serve this wonderful organization all these years.”
Valadez’s decision came with the “opportunity to be evaluated on the merits of my career, efforts and accomplishments against dozens of other well-qualified and successful professionals,” according to the letter.
“As a result, I have been presented with a couple of significant and compelling opportunities to advance my career,” according to Valadez’s letter. “The first was an opportunity to serve in the (Gov. Gavin) Newsom administration and the other as president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.”
He did not specify what role in the state government he was offered.
Valadez thanked California Fresh Fruit Association President George Radanovich and the association’s board and membership.
“The opportunity to utilize hard work and talent only served to deepen my insatiable drive to create pathways forward within a complex public policy environment,” Valadez said in the letter.
