Stemilt Growers' founder Tom Mathison, who passed away in late 2008 at the age of 82, has been recognised by the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation (Ag Forestry) with the 2011 Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award.
Mathison becomes the first person to be honoured with the title posthumously since its inception, awarded for his 'lifetime of leadership and commitment to demonstrating the value of working together to the betterment of our natural resources', according to Ag Forestry.
Ag Forestry highlighted Mathison's achievements at the graduation ceremony of its Class 32 on 6 May, which his relative and Stemilt grower, Noel Mathison, was a graduating member of.
Having founded Stemilt in 1964, Mr Mathison spent most of his life working to advance the tree fruit industry, and was the driving force in bringing Washington fruit to the global marketplace.
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