Photo Left: Puglia at the 2019 Forbes AgTech Summit with Forbes Media Chairman/Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes; Taylor Farms Chairman/CEO Bruce Taylor; andWG Sr. Vice President, Strategic Planning, Science & Technology Hank Giclas Photo Right: Puglia at the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas, where he was on the California Delegation staff
regulations—many of them at the local and state level—that are making it increasingly difficult to accomplish their noble goal of feeding the world. Examples of these restrictive policies include the elimination of vital crop protection tools (before alternatives are developed), rules that limit access to water and laws that result in exorbitant labor costs and ultimately hurt the earnings potential of farmworkers. The erosion of support for farmers among policymakers across the country is evident, and it’s a macro-level challenge Puglia plans to take head-on. “Year after year, we become more separated and shunned by lawmakers. That is a dangerous existence,” said Puglia. “Western Growers has the obligation and capability to lead the way in cracking the code—not only in California but also in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Washington, D.C.” From a young age, Puglia was bred to lean into the world of politics and public policy. His father, who was an appellate court justice appointed by Ronald Reagan during his tenure as Governor of California, encouraged heated discussions at the dinner table about politics; his mother, an immigrant from postwar Germany, was equally engaged in the verbal sparring. Puglia and his three siblings were continuously pulled into debates about one policy topic or another, but it wasn’t until college when his strong
sense of civic participation kicked in. At Sacramento State University, Puglia felt the pull of public affairs and politics as he abandoned his initial course of study in criminal justice and declared government-journalism as his major. A journalism professor who had worked in the state Capitol as a reporter connected Puglia with a friend working on George H.W. Bush’s 1988 presidential campaign, and that set in motion a series of formative experiences over the next 17 years. In addition to serving in roles such as
press secretary and senior adviser in the California Attorney General’s Office, he helped build the Sacramento branch of APCO Worldwide (a global public affairs consulting firm), working for clients in several industry sectors. However, some of his most powerful memories and “teachable moments” stemmed from his involvement in various statewide political campaigns. “I remember being introduced as ‘the oldest 33-year-old in America’ while serving as campaign director for Dan
Puglia with Former U.S. President George H. W. Bush in 1992, during his presidency
12 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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