NCAE - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the Idaho Dairymen 's Association, Inc

Bob Naerebout has spent the entirety of his career within the dairy industry in different capacities after graduating from Michigan State University in 1975. In 1979 he became manager of Michigan State's Dairy Research facility until 1981. In the spring of 1981 he took his first steps into the private sector and purchased a dairy in McBain, Michigan, which he owned until the spring of 1999. During his 18 years as a dairy owner he served on many board of directors. The most notable were his terms serving as President of both the marketing co-op and processing operations for Independent Cooperative Milk Producers Association (ICMPA). He held this position until the Board of Directors of ICMPA negotiated the successful merger of the co-op with Dairy Farmers of America in 1999. After the merger, Bob took up employment with Dairy Farmers of America as the Manager of Marketing and Member Relations for the Mountain Area Council, an area that spanned eight states from Washington to Colorado. Managing the marketing operations of the council aided Bob in developing relationships with all of the major processors in the eight state regions. Since the fall of 2002 Bob has served as the Executive Director of the Idaho Dairymen's Association, Inc. (IDA) which represent all dairy producers of Idaho in the area of government relations both in Idaho and in Washington DC. As Executive Director of the IDA Bob builds and maintains positive relations with state, regional and national dairy industry leaders, with dairy processors and with the membership of the Association. IDA works at the local, state, regional and federal levels to protect and promote the legislative, regulatory and legal interests of its members.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the AmericanHort
• Senior Vice President for AmericanHort

Craig Regelbrugge is senior vice president for AmericanHort, where he is responsible for industry advocacy and research programs. AmericanHort is the national trade organization representing the horticulture industry, including nursery and greenhouse growing, garden retail, landscape design and installation, and suppliers. Regelbrugge serves in national leadership positions representing the horticulture industry on matters relating to the labor force, plant health, and trade. He is active in the leadership of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition and its partner, the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform. In 2016, he served on a binational U.S./Mexico working group that developed the Shared Border, Shared Future report, a blueprint for modernization of labor mobility programs between the U.S. and our friend and neighbor to the south. Craig is a longtime friend of NCAE and a WORKHORSE on Immigration.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the Western Growers Association

Dennis Nuxoll joined Western Growers in Washington, D.C. running their federal office as the vice president of federal government affairs. Nuxoll has nearly 20 years of experience as an attorney, Congressional staffer and agricultural lobbyist in Washington. Immediately prior to joining Western Growers, Nuxoll was the Senior Director of Federal Policy for the American Farmland Trust, an organization that works on agriculture, environmental and rural development issues. In addition to his post at the American Farmland Trust, Nuxoll previously served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Max Baucus marshalling the Senator's agricultural as well as agricultural trade issues. Nuxoll started his career as an attorney with Stewart and Stewart Law Offices in Washington, D.C., and among the clients he represented were agricultural interests ranging from cattle to wheat to tomatoes to flowers. Nuxoll received his law degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in political science and history.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Secretary
• Secretary, U.S. Apple Association

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Director of Labor Relations at the Florida Fruit
• Member of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association

Jamie Fussell is the Director of Labor Relations at the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. He represents the association in federal labor related legislative efforts, coordinates members' use of the H-2A guest worker program, and assists with compliance efforts involving labor laws affecting agriculture. Fussell also leads the Agricultural Labor Relations Forum held annually in Orlando. Prior to joining FFVA, Fussell practiced law at various governmental agencies, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and most recently the Southwest Florida Water Management District. He's also worked for Georgia's Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black. Fussell received his Bachelor's degree in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Fussell is a sixth generation Floridian and remains involved at his family's ranch in Arcadia.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the New England Apple Council

Joseph Young grew up on his parents' apple orchard in New Boston, NH. In January of 1993, after receiving his degree in business, he went to work for the New England Apple Council. In October of 2005, he was promoted to Executive Director. He is currently the Chairman for the National Council of Agricultural Employers. He is also the very proud father of 2 great kids: Hannah and Ben.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Treasurer
• Treasurer, Snake River Farmers Association

Job Titles:

• Immediate past Chairman
• Member of the Executive Committee
• IMMEDIATE past CHAIRMAN, Washington State Tree Fruit Association
• President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association

Jon DeVaney has served as the President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association since September of 2014, when the Association was established through the merger of four existing tree fruit industry organizations. In this capacity he oversees the Association's industry education, data collection and reporting, and state and local government relations activities. Prior to this merger, he was the Executive Director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association from November of 2009. Mr. DeVaney has an extensive background in agricultural policy and politics, having previously served as a long-time staff member for Congressman Doc Hastings, as Washington State Director of USDA Rural Development (2005-2009) and on the staff of the Northwest Horticultural Council. Mr. DeVaney has a B.A. from the University of Washington and an M.A. from Georgetown University.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the Northwest Horticultural Council

Kate Tynan grew up on a cattle and wheat ranch near Centerville, Washington. She is currently employed as the senior vice president of the Northwest Horticultural Council (NHC) located in Yakima, Washington, where she works on a range of federal and international policy and regulatory issues on behalf of the growers, packers, and shippers of apples, pears, and cherries in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Prior to her work at the NHC, Kate received Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and print journalism at American University in Washington, D.C., in 2005. She began working as a junior level staff member for U.S. Congressman Doc Hastings of Washington state in 2003 while still in college. She remained in his employment in various capacities, including three years as his legislative director, until his retirement in 2014. She handled a number of legislative issues during this tenure, including agriculture, immigration, and trade.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Executive Director of Mountain Plains Agricultural Service
• Member of the Mountain Plains Agricultural Service

Kelli Griffith serves as the Executive Director of Mountain Plains Agricultural Service in Casper, Wyoming. Mountain Plains is a national association of livestock producers utilizing the H-2A visa program for labor needs. She has been involved with National Council of Ag Employers for eight years, prior to her appointment to the Executive Committee she served as co-chair of the Membership committee. Kelli comes from an agricultural background in rural Wyoming and is still active in the industry, raising hay and sheep with her family along with her work advocating for Mountain Plains members on labor issues. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness from Texas A&M and a Master of Science degree in Agriculture from Colorado State University.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Vice - Chairman
• Member of a 12th
• Vice - Chair, Torrey Farms

Maureen is a member of a 12th generation family farm located in Western New York which encompasses fresh market and processing vegetables, grain farm, and dairy operations. She also operates a trucking company with her husband Paul Marshall. She has served and participates in numerous organizations. She is past chairperson of United Fresh, past director of the Produce Marketing Association, first chairperson of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee, and former seven year Director of NY Federal Reserve - Buffalo. Currently she is a trustee at Genesee Community College. She serves as Director on the Executive Committee of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, Erie Niagara Insurance, Summit Insurance, NYS Vegetable Growers, Ag Affiliates, and NYS Agri Business Child Care Board; and numerous other community Organizations. She participates in many local, state and national conferences as a speaker and information education source every year.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Chairman, Low Country Labor

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• President & CEO, National Council of Agricultural Employers

Michael earned bachelor's degrees in history and accounting from the University of Wyoming where he also studied law. He is a certified public accountant. Although Michael started his career in public accounting in Casper, Wyoming working for a CPA firm that had many farm and ranch clients, his career changed dramatically when he began to focus in the areas of forensic accounting and fraud investigation. In fact, it was a fraud he uncovered at the National Potato Promotion Board in Denver that ended up tying him inextricably to agriculture. He was subsequently hired to be the Director of Finance for the Almond Board of California and later became the CEO of the largest dairy producer trade association in the US at Western United Dairymen in Modesto. After consulting for a few years in the areas of litigation support and complex financial transactions in Federal District Court, Michael returned to his true passion advocating on behalf of America's farmers and ranchers at NCAE.

Job Titles:

• Chief
• Member of the Executive Committee
• Senior Vice President
• Member of the a. Duda & Sons, Inc

Mrs. Tracy Duda Chapman was appointed Senior Vice President/Chief Legal & Administrative Officer of A. Duda & Sons, Inc. in June 2016. In this role, Tracy is responsible for the Corporate Legal, Viera Legal, Human Resources, Safety, Purchasing and Fleet, Risk Management/Insurance and the Government Relations functions of DUDA. She also serves as Assistant Corporate Secretary. A fourth generation member of the Duda family, Mrs. Chapman joined DUDA in 1992 as Associate Counsel at the corporate headquarters in Oviedo, Florida. She was promoted to General Counsel in 2000. In 2005 she was appointed Corporate Vice President of Corporate Services, with oversight responsibility for Corporate Communications, Governmental Relations, Risk Management, Food Safety and Technical Services. In 2007, she was appointed a Senior Vice President of DUDA and Chief Executive Officer of The Viera Company, DUDA's real estate subsidiary and the developer of the master planned community of Viera in Brevard County, Florida. She held that position until being appointed to her current position. Before joining DUDA, Mrs. Chapman practiced law in the real estate department of the Dean Mead law firm in Orlando. Mrs. Chapman holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law. She is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel. Mrs. Chapman serves on the board of the Florida Land Council, The Florida Chamber of Commerce, Shands Teaching Hospital & Clinics, Inc. and the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, Inc. She is a former Chairman of both the Florida Land Council and The Florida Chamber. Mrs. Chapman also serves on the Executive Committee of the National Council of Agricultural Employers and previously served on the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association's Labor Committee and Environmental and Pest Management Committee, and the Board of the Brevard Zoo. In 1999, Mrs. Chapman was appointed by Florida Governor Jeb Bush as a Commissioner on Florida's Environmental Regulation Commission, and served two consecutive four-year terms. She is a graduate of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources and is a Past President of its Alumni Association. A Florida native, Mrs. Chapman was born in West Palm Beach, and attended high school in Oviedo, Florida. She and her husband, Marc, also an attorney, have two daughters, Amanda and Emma. The family lives in Oviedo and is active in St. Luke's Lutheran Church.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the Florida Citrus Mutual / Everglades Harvesting & Hauling, Inc.

Everglades harvests labor intense agricultural acres throughout the United States, transports raw agricultural crops from the farm to the first point of process or packing, and manages citrus and specialty crops all over Florida. Each of these tasks are accomplished with a significant number of H2A guest seasonal workers supported by many full-time employees. Paul is well versed in working with leaders in government and industry to create a positive outcome. Paul is a fourth generation Florida Citrus and Vegetable Grower. Executive Board Member of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vice President /Board Member of Florida Citrus Mutual, and Executive Board member of the National Council of Agricultural Employers. Past President of the Hendry/Glades County Farm Bureau. Past Vice President Gulf Citrus Growers Association, also a Broker/Salesman specializing in large tracts of Agricultural Property in Florida. Married for more than thirty years, Paul and his family reside in Southwest Florida.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• Member of the MasLabor
• Vice President and General Counsel for MásLabor

Tom Bortnyk is the Vice President and General Counsel for másLabor, the nation's largest provider of comprehensive H-2A and H-2B services. He advises másLabor's clients on regulatory compliance issues and best practices, in addition to overseeing the company's quality assurance program and client service processes. Tom has a B.S. in International Affairs from Florida State University and a J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law. Prior to law school, he was a project manager at a Florida-based software development firm.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Executive Committee
• General Manager of Mid - Columbia AG SVS
• Member of the Underwood Fruit & Warehouse Company

Troy Frostad is the General Manager of Mid-Columbia AG SVS, LLC a farm labor contracting company supplying H2A labor for fruit growers in Washington and Oregon. Troy also serves as the Director of Human Resources for Underwood Fruit and Warehouse, Mt. Adams Orchards and The Dalles Fruit Company. Troy has served in multiple production operations management roles and was the Director of Quality Assurance at Independent Foods until January of 2013. Prior to Underwood Fruit, Troy worked 8 years for Con Agra Foods in Production, Operations Management and Quality Assurance. He is a member of the National Council of Agricultural Employers and is the chair of the H2A strategy committee and a United States Air Force veteran of 6 years having served in combat roles during Operation Desert Storm. Troy is also a certified mediator and past board president for the dispute resolution center in Yakima Washington.