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Who We Are
Meet our 13-Member Board of Directors for 2023-2025
Board of Directors
President
Chris Sayer
Chris Sayer joined the Farm Bureau Board of Directors in 2008. He is a fifth-generation Ventura County farmer. Earlier in his career, Chris served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and qualified as an aircraft commander in P3C patrol aircraft. He subsequently worked in Silicon Valley for several years, before returning to Ventura County and purchasing a 23-acre avocado ranch east of Santa Paula, where he now lives with his wife, Melissa. Chris is the manager of Petty Ranch, his family’s avocado operation in Saticoy. He serves on the boards of Associates Insectory and Citrus Mutual Water Company.
1st Vice President
Jason Cole
Jason Cole is a third-generation avocado, citrus, and cattle rancher from Santa Paula. He is a 2009 graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor in Agricultural Science. Jason was a member of Class 42 of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation Program. He is also a past member of Region 9 CALF Alumni Group. From 2012 to 2014, he was chairman of the Farm Bureau of Ventura County’s Young Farmers & Ranchers committee, serving in that capacity as an advisory member of the FBVC Board of Directors. He also served on the CAC governance committee and Santa Paula Rotary Club. Currently, Jason is an active member of the California Avocado Commission board.
2nd Vice President
Will Pidduck
Will Pidduck was raised on his family’s ranch outside Santa Paula. After he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he began working as an agronomist for Fruit Growers Laboratory. In 2006, Will began farming for Finch Farms, LLC, which grows citrus and avocados in Ojai, Ventura, and the Santa Clara River valley. Will lives in Ventura with wife, Suzannah Underwood and their two young boys.
Secretary
Luis Calderon
Luis Calderon is the director of partner, growers, and resources for Reiter Affiliated Companies (RAC), the largest fresh, multi-berry producer in the world. With 15 years of experience in the berry industry, Luis currently works closely with all partnerships and independent growers for RAC while also supporting the company’s land and water management. His previous experience includes farming berries in Ventura County and supporting agriculture in capacities such as HR Specialist and Workers Compensation Specialist. Born and raised in Ventura, Luis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in small business/entrepreneurship and a master’s degree in business administration from California Lutheran University. Luis is an alumnus of Class 49 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.
Treasurer
Melinda Beardsley Meyring
Melinda is the fourth generation in her family to work in Ventura County agriculture. She is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in English. Melinda holds a qualified applicator license from the Department of Pesticide Regulation. She serves as the President of the VC California Women for Agriculture and is on the board for SEEAG. Melinda is the owner of Beardsley & Son, LLC, a fertilizer and tractor application company, which was established in 1935 by her grandfather. She resides in Camarillo with her children and husband, Matthew Meyring.
Director
Matt Conroy
Matt is a second-generation Ventura County strawberry grower, who started working on the family farm at a young age. He found a passion in the shop working alongside several great mentors. He left the family business to pursue education and employment in mechanics. He returned to the family farm with a variety of experiences and now manages the Oxnard growing district for Goodfarms. Matt is heavily involved with the coordination and implementation of technology into field production. With the ability to merge traditional knowledge with new technology and efficiencies, he has a unique perspective that has made the Oxnard district of Goodfarms the go-to site for wide-ranging experiments to improve berry production. Matt also volunteers with several organizations in and outside of agriculture. Outside of work, he spends time with his two sons and also enjoys triathlons and off-roading.
Director
Ted Grether
Ted Grether is a fifth-generation Ventura County farmer. He manages operations for the family business, Grether Farming Company, growing lemons, avocados, and mandarins. In addition to volunteering for various industry and community organizations, he has been a Farm Bureau board director since 2014. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University and the California Agricultural Leadership Program (class 47). He lives in Somis.
Director
Scott Klittich
Scott Klittich and his wife, Cindy, are the owners of Otto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore, where they specialize in growing container roses and fruit trees for retail garden centers throughout Southern and Central California. Scott received his bachelor’s degree in ornamental horticulture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He has worked at Otto & Sons for more than 30 years and is currently general manager. Scott is a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, Class 43. He is past president of the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers and past president of Farm Bureau of Ventura County. Scott has been on the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the Fillmore High School farm for more than 25 years. He and his wife have three children and three grandchildren.
Director
Hank Laubacher Jr.
Hank Laubacher Jr. is a fourth-generation vegetable and strawberry grower in Ventura County. Starting from an early age Hank worked on the family farm learning the operations from the ground up. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 200 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business ranch management. After college he worked for Mission Avocados and Well Pict Berries for a combined 10 years before coming back to the family business, Laubacher Farms Inc. Currently, Laubacher Farms is directed under his leadership and is diversified into many crops, conventional and organic. He is a current member of the Celery Research Board. His wife, Bree works in the produce packaging industry. Hank and Bree reside in Ventura with their two boys.
Director
Helen McGrath
Helen McGrath is a fifth-generation member of the McGrath farming family. She was born and raised in Ventura County and returned with her husband in 2013 to support her family farming business while her father, Tom McGrath, was battling cancer. They grow citrus and avocados in Somis and the Santa Clara River Valley. In addition to working with her family, she has been working in the agriculture sector for almost 10 years, supporting organizations such as Community Alliance for Family Farmers, Ag Innovations, CalCAN, and more. Helen is a member of Class 43 of the California Ag Leadership Program. She lives in Ventura with her husband and two sons.
Director
Brian Naumann
Brian Naumann is a fifth-generation farmer on the Oxnard Plain. Upon graduating from UCLA in 2001 he joined his brother, Michael to form Naumann Ranch growing row crops such as celery, cabbage, and lima beans. Over the past decade, Naumann Ranch has expanded operations into several local greenhouse families to produce vegetable transplants for themselves and other growers throughout Ventura County. Brian serves as a director on the board of Oxnard Drainage District No. 2.
Director
Danny Pereira
Danny Pereira is general manager of Rio Farms, where he has worked since 1988. He is a 1988 graduate of California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor’s degree in crop science and a minor in plant protection. He has been a member of the Celery Research Advisory Board since 1992 and is currently serving as board vice chairman and chairman of the Research Committee. He is an alternate member of the California Pepper Commission and served on the Board of Directors of the Ventura County Agricultural Association from 2001-2004, serving as chairman from 2003-2004. He represents the Farm Bureau on the board of the Association of Water Agencies of Ventura County and is a member of the Ventura County Spray Safe Committee.
Director
William Terry
William Terry is a fifth-generation Ventura County farmer who works as vice president and chief operating officer of Terry Farms, Inc. Specializing in row-crop production, Terry Farms, Inc. grows various fruits and vegetables on about 2,100 acres. William is on the boards of the California Pepper Commission, the University of California Hansen Fund and Farm Credit West LAC, and serves as an alternate on the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency’s board. He is a past chairman of the Farm Bureau of Ventura County and the Ventura County Young Farmers & Ranchers committee. William and his wife, April recently welcomes a daughter to the family.