Microsoft and Mercedes Benz, as well as familiar industry faces, such as Nutrien, Farm Credit and Syngenta. Carroll has been featured in a number of international media outlets, including the BBC, Reuters and AP news, and was named one of the top sources for innovation insight by Business Week. He was also a featured expert on the prime-time CNBC series, “The Business of Innovation.” Carroll is a prolific author, penning books like, “Now What: Reinvention and the Role of Optimism in Finding Your New Future;” “Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast” and “Surviving the Information Age.” After the keynote, the Annual Meeting will proudly kick off its Hawaiian Family Games, a Hawaiian Annual Meeting tradition at Western Growers. Grab the whole family, gather up your team and get ready for lots of fun and laughter. Upon completion of the games, a panel of judges will tally the team scores and present the three highest-scoring teams with the coveted trophy, and more importantly to some, bragging rights. Some of the 2023 Island Challenges include Coconut Bowling, Pineapple Polka and a Conch Shell Blowing Contest. One complimentary ticket is included for each full-conference registrant (adult, guest or child), and additional tickets can be purchased at the Western Growers registration desk. This is the event you and your family won’t want to miss! The day’s events will come to a close with the Award of Honor Reception and
Dinner Gala Honoring John D’Arrigo, CEO/President of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California and Chair of the Board. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community. With a remarkable career spanning five decades, D’Arrigo is widely recognized as a defining leader in agriculture and pioneer of innovation as a grower, packer and shipper. His Award of Honor complements an impressive list of contributions as a California farmer. He was an inaugural appointee by the California Secretary of Agriculture to the board of the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) and is a founding member and on the advisory council of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA), an innovative public-private partnership with The University of Arizona to improve all aspects of desert crop production. Apart from his accomplishments in agriculture, D’Arrigo has been a champion of uplifting his community. He has been a supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; D’Arrigo California’s contributions have exceeded $2 million, funding more than 42,000 hours of breast cancer research. In 2010, D’Arrigo founded The Agricultural Leadership Council, known as TALC, which is dedicated to changing and saving lives of agricultural workers and their families at Natividad Medical Center.
Comedian Tom Papa is set to provide an evening of side-splitting laughter during the entertainment portion of this year’s Award of Honor Dinner Gala. As one of the top comedic voices in the country, Papa has a longstanding career in standup comedy, film, television, radio and podcasts. The Annual Meeting will come to a close on Wednesday, Nov. 15, with the traditional Western Growers Golf Tournament. This year’s Growers Cup will take place at the scenic oceanfront Poipu Bay Golf Course, adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. Participants can start off the fun at the putting contest held between 7-8 a.m. As the foursomes hit the links with a shot gun start, there will be a variety of in-play competitions throughout the course, inviting even the most novice of players to contend for prizes. The event will wrap up with awards and lunch at 12:30 p.m. We look forward to several days of networking, education and entertainment, all while embracing the Aloha Spirit and celebrating agriculture with our industry peers! Join us today by registering at wgannualmeeting.com. For more information about registration or to take advantage of sponsorship opportunities, please contact Associate Vice President, Membership Kim Stuart at kstuart@wga.com.
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