Foundation News

Thank You to Director Michael Hollister for Service to CALF

Michael Hollister, vice president of corporate human resources for Driscoll’s, began his service on the Ag Leadership Foundation’s board of directors in 2016. He was a member of the board’s governance committee and served on the search committees that worked to fill the director of education and president and CEO positions.

“Michael Hollister is the true essence of a servant leader,” said Board Chairman Michael Young (35). “He was not an alumni of the program, but he gave his heart and soul to it. His board acumen is bar none and he served on many important committees of the board.”

2020 Profiles in Leadership Awardees Recognized in Video Tribute

WATCH AT youtube.com/user/CalAgLeadership Ag Leadership’s Profiles in Leadership Award, which recognizes Ag Leadership Program alumni for their leadership actions resulting in the betterment of industry, community, business, government, education and/or the environment, was awarded to Craig (5) and Sara Jane Underwood, Holly King (24) and Rich Peterson (25). They were spotlighted in the fall 2020 issue of Horizons.

Craig and Sara Jane Underwood offer a wide variety of farm-related activities and events designed to educate the public about their sustainable farming practices while cultivating a relationship between customers and farmers. They are known for sharing their love of community through education, outreach and as generous donors. As chair of the Almond Board of California (ABC), Holly King worked with industry leaders and the USDA to secure trade assistance to help offset losses due to tariffs. She also oversaw the creation of almond industry goals for improvement in the areas of water, pest management, air quality and zero waste.

Rich Peterson has served in leadership positions for many organizations that support the distribution of food to those in need. He also volunteers at local Stand Downs; events organized to provide vital services, such as food, shelter, clothing and health screenings to homeless and at-risk veterans.

Learn more about the awardees by watching our video tribute at: youtube.com/user/CalAgLeadership

Alumni Council Elections

New leadership for the Alumni Council (AC) will be elected during the group’s February meeting. Following those elections, nominations will be opened for directors in Regions 3, 8 and 9. The regional director elections will be held in mid-spring. The new directors will be installed during the AC’s May meeting and they will participate in an onboarding process to prepare them for their new roles.

AlumnA Featured in International Leadership Webinar

In November 2020, Tracy Schohr (39) was a panelist during a webinar, “Leadership in Times of Crisis,” hosted by the International Leadership Alumni Conference. As one of two speakers, Schohr was asked to share about her experience during the 2018 Camp Fire. In her role as the University of California’s livestock and natural resources advisor for Butte, Plumas and Sierra counties, she was called upon during the catastrophic fire to create and manage an impromptu shelter for evacuated animals. One of the deadliest and most destructive fires in California history, the Camp Fire was the most expensive natural disaster in the world in 2018. During her presentation, Schohr talked about the actions she took during the fire and what she learned through her involvement in disaster service.

“When the Camp Fire struck in Butte County, my focus shifted in a time and place of need,” said Schohr. “What spurred me to take action was that it was right outside my front door.”

Schohr worked with local partners to create a large animal evacuation center. On its peak day, the center housed 880 animals, including more than 260 horses at one point. Pulling from local resources, including her family’s ranch, she worked to turn a nearby fairground into an improvised shelter.

During her presentation, Schohr reflected on her time in Ag Leadership and attributed some of her success during the crisis to the skills she had learned from the program.

BY ABBY TAYLOR-SILVA, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CALF AND SHELLI HENDRICKS, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, CALF

With a mission of “We grow leaders who make a difference,” and an acknowledgement that the core fellowship program is simply the first step in a lifelong leadership journey, alumni learning opportunities are an important component of the education that the foundation is proud to produce and provide. In 2019, CALF reinstated alumni learning opportunities, beginning with First Fridays sessions for alumni and current fellows. These focus on discussion of complex topics that link back to current class curriculum. Below you will find synopses of the November and December First Fridays sessions, both of which were facilitated by Director of Education Shelli Hendricks. Our team is currently working with alumni leadership to build the 2021 alumni learning curriculum. Look for a schedule to be released in February 2021.

November 2020: Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

As follow-up to last year’s discussion of Patrick Lencioni’s book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” which is required reading for current class fellows, this session focused on the behaviors necessary for a team to create a positive environment. According to Lencioni, teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage because it is so powerful and rare.

Attendees discussed Lencioni’s five levels of dysfunction. Those include the absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results. It was the lack of commitment that kept coming up in both the small and large group discussions. One participant noted that without that commitment and care, it doesn’t matter how talented or smart a team member is, they hinder the performance of the team. Key themes in the session also centered around personal stories as a way to encourage understanding and trust building.

December 2020: Leadership Archetypes — How Universal Stories Help Us Navigate

Recognizing that self-awareness is fundamental to leadership development, this session focused on understanding the 12 archetypes, all of which emerge from Carl G. Jung’s research and writings. Archetypes are the universal themes and characters that we adopt throughout the phases of our lives.

The session’s premise centered on the idea that leaders who are curious about their own behavior and interactions with other people tend to be more effective. Tools used to understand personality types, such as those sourced in the CALF program, are useful as one begins working to understand archetypes.

To break the ice, small groups discussed year-end reflection questions. This exercise helped participants identify their learning and growth and demonstrated the importance of storytelling. For many, it is easy to recognize oneself in various descriptions, depending on roles at home or work, season of life and personality type.

It is important to emphasize that we have all of the archetypes available as lessons to help us navigate through the various experiences that are universal to the human condition. By being curious and willing to explore the archetypes a leader is relying on in a certain season of life, he or she can leverage the universal truths from others who have previously navigated similar circumstances. With self-awareness and a willingness to learn from our stories and those of others, we can learn how to use archetypes to lead more effectively.

Dean Brown Leadership Foundation Auction

The Dean Brown Leadership Foundation hosted a virtual auction in November in lieu of its annual golf tournament. The proceeds from the auction, approximately $10,000, will benefit Ag Leadership.

The Dean Brown Golf Tournament, one of Ag Leadership’s largest annual fundraisers, is usually held in Santa Maria in the fall. Over the course of its 30-plus-year history, the event has raised nearly $1 million dollars for the foundation.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a success! Auction Item Donors Ken and Debbie Amaral, T.

Amaral & Sons Michael Blaney, Baileyana Stacy Bonnifield, Eberle

Winery Cara Crye (39), San Luis

Obispo Farm Supply

Company Austin Hope and Gretchen

Roddick, Treana Winery and Austin Hope Winery Laura Jeffery, 101 Wine

Tours Andrew Jones, Field

Recordings Jeff Koligian (18), Koligian

Viticulture Jerry Lohr, Diane Moreno,

Erica Meier, Steve Carter,

J. Lohr Vineyards and

Wines Justin Perino (44), Scheid

Vineyards Matt and Kristi Roberson,

United Harvest Dan Rodrigues (41),

Castoro Cellars and Vigo

Cellars Jim Stollberg (35),

Maverick Farming Co. Craig Stoller (31), Sextant

Wines Brian Talley (30), Talley

Vineyards Mike Testa (42), Zaca Mesa

Winery Dan Souza (20) and Susan

West, Bovino Vineyards Wonderful Nurseries

Auction Item Buyers Erin Amaral (46), Pacific

Coast Farming Leeann Bettencourt (50) Mark Borba (9) Anthony Bozzano (43) Jerry Diefenderfer (2) Cody Douglas, Coastal Ag Dan Drake Jim Finch (28) Barbie Firebaugh-Miller Victor Fritz Christy and Fernando

Holguin, Coastal Ag Ed and Michelle Ishida,

Bayer Crop Science Brad Johnson Tim Kensinger, Farm

Credit West Scott Klittich (43) Christopher Oliva Peggy Perry (9) Scott Quashnick Dan Rodrigues (41) Jim Stollberg (35) B. Van Beek (43) Dean Wineman (4) Committee Members Jim McGarry (43), Chair Erin Amaral (46) Carson Britz (43) Mary Cooper Cara Crye (39) George Donati Brenda Estrada (42) Jeff Koligian (18) Cathe Lincoln Michele McGarry Jim Stollberg (35) Sammi Stollberg Mike Testa (42)