Mitch Ardantz is one of the managing partners of Santa Maria, Calif.-based Bonipak Produce Company and Betteravia Farms. The company’s roots date back more than 85 years and it has long been a Central Coast leading grower-shipper of a host of vegetables, specializing in commodity business. Ardantz is in the third generation of executives to lead the family farming operation. He has spent most of his career in sales and marketing and is now serving in more of an oversight role. “We have had the RSP (Retirement Security Plan) plan with Western Growers for many, many years,” he said. “Currently we still have significant funds in the program for the ownership group It’s been a great program.” Ardantz has served on the RSP Board for many years and said the interaction with investment community experts and prognosticators has been invaluable as he has helped Betteravia pick the right investments for their company while also helping guide the plan from the board perspective.
From Betteravia’s perspective, and for his own personal portfolio, he has been most appreciative of the one-to-one relationship he has developed with his WG Financial Services advisor, which is WGFS President Matt Lewis. “Recently, I have started to share our investments with my three daughters. Matt came up here and personally walked us through it.” Ardantz said that is the same service any WG member utilizing WGFS can expect. “I also like that Western Growers knows the farming industry. They know our business and how it works,” he said. “The people in ag are a different breed and they know it. In fact, the RSP team are folks just like us. They are steering us down the right road.” He also repeated the refrain mentioned by many that he appreciates the other fine work that Western Growers does on behalf of the ag industry and fresh produce. To the extent that these ancillary services help fund those activities, Ardantz said that certainly factors into the company’s decision when using a Western Growers business service.
Lewis said his department offers a full suite of financial services. He notes that he spends a significant amount of his time managing the retirement investments of members through RSP and 401(k) plans and managing WG’s in-house accounts. WGFS also manages about 300 privately- held accounts for members, with that book of business now having grown to about $400 million in assets. While Lewis is hesitant to toot his own horn, he said the performance figures speak for themselves and WGFS continues to get good returns for the many different accounts it manages. He indicated the proof is in the continued growth of the assets. Lewis also said that the individual service that Ardantz touted is a hallmark of Western Growers Financial Services. In fact, it is the calling card of all WG business services. As Zanze mentioned, it is members that drive these services, not profits.
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MAY | JUNE 2022
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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