Meet the Board

Q: When did you first become involved in the California almond industry?   A: While at Cal Poly, from 1999-2003, I conducted almond projects for my relative Ned Ryan, including a study of the Chilean almond industry. I entered the industry full time in 2003 in sales and got involved with the Almond Board’s Global Market Development committee soon after. I began growing almonds in 2009 and am still enjoying learning how to best do that.    Q: What does it mean to you to sit on ABC’s Board of Directors?   A: I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Board during this unique time. Demand growth and reputation management are as essential as ever, and I look forward to being part of these key discussions and decisions with my colleagues on the Board. I am very excited about the future of our industry.   Q: What about the industry do you most appreciate and take pride in?   A: The wonderful growers and industry colleagues we get to work with that make our work so much fun. The open dialogue with trustworthy people also helps us all constantly learn and grow.   Q: What industry accomplishment are you most proud of?   A: The tremendous health studies done that show how almonds are so good for you in many ways. ABC has been so innovative in looking at almonds’ health benefits from a variety of angles, including weight management and skin health.    Q: What advice would you give someone starting off in the almond industry?   A: People in the industry are very open so don’t be afraid to ask for help and get involved with different areas of the industry, including attending ABC committee meetings. I would also suggest applying for ABC’s Almond Leadership Program and certainly coming to The Almond Conference.  Presentations given by University of California (UC) extension staff also provide a great opportunity to learn about growing almonds, as does The Almond Doctor blog (managed by former UC farm advisor David Doll) and the Pacific Nut Producer magazine.       Q: What’s your favorite way to eat almonds?   A: At Happy Hour, it’s blanched slivered; at home, it’s roasted with butter and salt. But normally, we eat them raw, dry roasted, or as a spoonful of almond butter.   

Q: Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started in the industry?   A: I come from a third-generation farm. My grandfather started farming in the Central Valley since just after World War II. It wasn’t until 1982 that we planted our first almonds. Before that, we were cotton, tomato, potato and row crop growers. My dad wrote his college thesis on almond farming in California and after college, he came back to the family farm. He was brokering some trees and was able to fund his own orchard through some of his deals. As the years progressed, we planted more and more almonds. I grew up on the family farm, and my summers included swimming in cotton irrigation ditches and jumping in cotton modules. Taking a job at Treehouse California Almonds after Graduate School was when I officially got my start in the family business. My primary task is managing sales and helping with the factory operations. I have the privilege to connect our customers with our family farm.   Q: What does it mean to you to sit on ABC’s Board of Directors?   A: When my peers asked me if I'd be interested in running for the Board, I sat back and reflected on it. I realized it was my duty, not only for my family but for the next generation of farmers. There are a lot of great industry leaders that are reaching that magic retirement age and it’s time for the younger generation to step up and serve. There needs to be a new group of individuals that help push this industry along. My brothers and I are looking at the future – we want this to be a successful industry for our kids, just like how our dad helped make the industry successful for our generation. As a Board member, I hope to be involved directly in long-term strategic industry initiatives that help ensure we pass on a successful industry to the next generation.   Q: What are you looking forward to the most about service?   A: What I’m looking forward to is sharing a different perspective. There are plenty of generational growers out there and I think the Almond Board has done a great job getting us to this point. But I think there is an opportunity to freshen things up a little bit. My goal is to encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking amongst the staff and fellow Board members. I would like to try new things and if we don’t get the outcome we want, then we regroup and try something else.   Q: What do you most respect or appreciate about the Almond Industry?   A: We're growing a healthy product. I get to see the power of this in my work within ingredients and on the cutting edge of product development, and that's exciting for me. As we grow as an industry and our customer base gets more involved in knowing where their product comes from, it's important to leverage this fact. I believe we should be embracing questions because we have every right as an industry to be proud of what we are doing. As a family farm, I am extremely proud of what I do. I'm extremely proud of what my brothers do, what my dad has done and what my grandfather has done. When you're taking care of a piece of land that has been in your family for seven or eight decades, that's amazing. I want to be able to share that story with customers and show them that farmers are doing things right. It's sharing that story and being proud of what you're doing, but then also having a willingness to learn and adapt, that will ensure our right to farm. I think that's been what my family has embraced since the inception of our farm.   Q – What about the Almond Board of California do you most appreciate or take pride in?   A: I'm in marketing, exporting, sales and processing. As a company, I'm extremely grateful to the Almond Board for information. When it comes to technical information about food safety or exports, I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to pick up a phone and get an answer within an hour or two – and some of the stuff is very technical. Those answers make our jobs as salespersons and handlers much easier, which allows us to educate our customers. I do appreciate how the Board has been on the front end of the technical issues, helping to steer the conversation. That is probably one of the most understated successes of the Almond Board.   Q: What’s your favorite way to eat almonds?   A: I think a chocolate chip almond flour cookie washed down with unsweetened almond milk is as about as good as it gets.

Christine Gemperle has been farming almonds with her brother since 1998 although she was raised in an almond and poultry farming family in the Central Valley of California. Her educational background is in biology (BA, UC Santa Cruz) and fisheries (MA, Utah State University) with the scientific process and research having been the main attractant. Currently she and her brother, Erich, manage and operate 135 acres with no employees placing them in the unique position of knowing every facet of their operation, from the mundane to the technologically advanced. They are proponents of sustainable and regenerative ag practices that work for their operation’s size, region and soils. Christine is a member of the Blue Diamond Growers Cooperative where she has served as a grower liaison. She currently serves on the board of directors for Almond Board of California, additionally participating on the Biomass, Environmental Stewardship and Nutritional Research Committees. She also serves on the boards of Project Apis m., the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund and is a co-founder in the newly formed Women in Almonds group.

Q: When did you first become involved in the industry?   A: My family has been growing almonds in Fresno County since the late 1970s. Some of my earliest memories include helping with harvest. At four years old, I'm not sure how much help I actually provided, but I found a passion for working outside with my hands and eventually a profession that does not require me to wear a tie. After I graduated from college, I was recruited into the wine business, where I spent many years as a winemaker. About 12 years ago, my family asked me if I wanted to come back and help with the farming operation. I jumped at the opportunity and have never looked back.    Q: What does it mean to sit on ABC’s Board of Directors?   A: It is a great honor to serve as a member of the Almond Board of California’s Board of Directors. I have been involved with ABC for about 10 years, starting out by serving on several committees and eventually moving up to serve on the Board. There is always a saying rolling around in the back of my head (I believe I got it from my father), "Either you're at the table or you're on the menu." The Almond Board provides the growers a voice, a spot at the table, and it keeps us off the menu. I am proud to be part of that, protecting and growing our industry.   Q: What about the industry do you most appreciate and take pride in?   A: Innovation. The ability to change, grow, and adapt. Having grown up in agriculture, it's easy to see that most other agricultural industries are very resistant to any change. So much so that many of those industries are now gone. The almond industry has not only grown but thrived. Even in the most difficult of times, we have endured by working together and rising stronger and better prepared for future challenges.    Q: What industry accomplishment are you most proud of?   A: There are many accomplishments that spring to mind. But, having been involved with the Almond Board of California during the drought when we had to educate the public about our water usage, I would say increasing our water use efficiency. We are cutting edge in our use of water – decreasing the amount of water to produce a pound of almonds by 33% is huge. But instead of stopping there and being content, we have continued to push ourselves to adopt new technologies and to educate ourselves on better practices.    Q: What advice would you give someone starting off in the almond industry?   A: Get involved. It never ceases to amaze me how much I've learned by serving and volunteering in many capacities through ABC. Yes, it takes time and commitment. But what you gain in return really can't be measured. In farming, it's really easy to want to just "stay on the farm." It's difficult to put yourself out there and engage with other industries, entities, and other growers. But in the end, engagement is what makes our corner of agriculture the envy of all the others.    Q: What’s your favorite way to eat almonds?   A: A can of Blue Diamond roasted and salted almonds, washed down with a cold beer. Simple, satisfying, perfect.

Brandon is a Co-Founder and the Head of Farming of Gold Leaf Farming, where he leads the firm’s farming efforts. Brandon is a tree nut grower, manager, agronomist, advisor and has overseen approximately 20,000 acres of nut crops throughout California in his career.Before founding GLF, Brandon worked closely with a private investment firm, which built a portfolio of over 10,000 acres of almonds throughout the state. Brandon played a significant role including managing and advising on due diligence, plant science, orchard development, orchard management, investor relations, and strategic planning. In his spare time, Brandon is a partner in Rebiero Brothers, LLC, an almond grower in Stanislaus County, CA. As a hands-on grower, he is still intimately involved in every aspect of the business from driving tractors to farm strategy.Brandon attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he obtained a B.S. in Pomology and a Minor in Plant Protection Science. He completed the Blue Diamond Leadership program as well as the Almond Board of California Leadership Program. Brandon currently serves on the Board of Directors for Almond Board of California, and is a member of the Strategic Ag Innovation Committee. He also serves as an advisor to several Ag Tech companies.

Q: When did you first become involved in the California almond industry?   A: I started working for a Northern California handler after graduating from Chico State in 2008.   Q: What does it mean to you to sit on ABC’s Board of Directors?   A: It is quite an honor to have worked my way up through the industry, serving on committees and then gaining the confidence of my peers to get the opportunity to serve at the Board level. To me, it means maybe my opinions are not as isolated as I thought.   Q: What about the industry do you most appreciate and take pride in?   A: I appreciate the international aspect the most, as it’s relatively unique to our Central Valley business sector, as well as all the nuances throughout the supply chain. Our industry keeps you on your toes – there is always something new to learn and always new experiences to be had that humble you and prove you wrong. I take pride in the fact that we can grow, market and ship a high quality, healthy food throughout the global marketplace.   Q: What industry accomplishment are you most proud of?   A: Nutrition research has been instrumental in our marketing efforts and has allowed us to truly tap into the health and nutrition trends that almonds fit perfectly into. The other part that I am proud of is the statistical data that ABC derives to provide crop estimates, acreage reports, and monthly shipment information. This helps bring a level of reliability into our marketplace and is used as a tool for growers, processors and buyers. It’s sometimes underappreciated just how significant this has been for the success of our industry.   Q: What advice would you give someone starting off in the almond industry?   A: Listen and learn. You don’t know it all, not even a sliver.   Q: What’s your favorite way to eat almonds?   A: Roasted and loaded with tasty artificial flavors.  

Following a 17-year career as the head of Corporate Communications at the grocery retailer The Save Mart Companies, Alicia Rockwell joined Blue Diamond Growers in January 2015.  As the Chief Government Affairs Officer, Alicia is responsible for shaping and leading Blue Diamond Growers’ government and public affairs strategies. She works with a range of key stakeholders, including grower-owners, community and non-governmental organizations, industry associations, political officials and policymakers, and the media. The Government Affairs team oversees local, state, federal, and international advocacy, a Blue Diamond Board of Director’s Political Action Committee (PAC), industry association memberships, and reputation management, which includes the advancement of social impact engagement. Alicia’s industry affiliations include an appointment to the USDA Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Fruit and Vegetables, and she serves as a Board Director for the Almond Board of California and the Agricultural Council of California.  Alicia earned a Public Leadership Credential from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in information and communication studies from California State University, Chico. Alicia is deeply committed to philanthropic endeavors and actively engages in initiatives aimed at fostering sustainability and making a positive impact on the community.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started in the industry?    A: I was born and raised a dairy farmer and forage crop grower in Merced, California. My parents are Portuguese immigrants, and my first language was Portuguese. I learned how to speak English when I went to kindergarten, like a lot of Americans have. I loved growing the forage and I realized a little bit later in life that I enjoyed the farming aspect more than raising the cows. I went to Cal Poly to study Dairy Science and Agricultural Business. When I finished school I got back into the cattle industry working for a livestock genetics business until I was in my early 40’s. About 25 years ago, my brother-in-law and my sister purchased 110 acres of almonds in Atwater. That is how our family first became involved with almonds. A few years later, I decided to buy an almond orchard myself in Livingston. My brother-in-law said growing almonds is easy compared to milking cows. I started attending The Almond Conference in Modesto as a grower and I remember I was just electrified by what I saw and heard. I really enjoyed the consumer focus of the almond industry. So after nearly a decade as a grower, I was looking to make a career change. I joined Blue Diamond for two years and Summit Almonds for a few more. During that time, I got to know one of our suppliers, Vann Family Orchards who was looking to grow. I went to work for them about five years ago. Today, my wife and I own 140 acres of almonds and wine grapes.     Q: What does it mean to you to sit on ABC’s Board of Directors?    A: I'm deeply honored to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Almond Board of California. I think it's an incredible privilege and I am very aware of the responsibility that goes with it. I have some observer-type experiences with two other marketing commodity boards. I grew up around the California Milk Advisory Board, which is one of the largest commodity marketing boards in the United States and very successful. Over the last eight years, I've also attended many meetings for the California Walnut Board and Commission who’s also been successful in their own right. That former experience and perspective made me appreciate the Almond Board of California that much more. In my opinion, ABC is the best and the most successful commodity marketing board in American agriculture.     Q: What are you looking forward to the most about service?    A:  I’m most excited about continuing the success the Almond Board has experienced in overseas marketing. What I have learned is if you want to be more successful, the first thing you consider is where are the greatest and strongest areas within that business currently and over the recent past. Then you focus efforts in that area. The way you do that is by taking a candid, open and challenging look at the entire business. How do we redirect resources from one area to put it into the area where you get the most bang for your buck? That is my basic philosophy of business, entity and even personal success, and the philosophy I hope to bring to the Board.     Q: What do you most respect or appreciate about the Almond Industry?    A: First, it's the people in the industry. Someone who was born and raised into the almond industry should thank their parents and their family, because that is an incredible thing. I was in my 30s when I got into the industry, and then in my 40s when I got into the trade side. I have a different perspective as far as the people and community of this industry. That's what an industry is, it's a community, and that's probably the thing that I enjoy the most. What a great industry group of people – the growers, the allied industry members, and the people at the Almond Board are an incredible team – not to mention our partners overseas in India, Spain, Germany, and Japan who are incredible partners.    Q: What about the Almond Board of California do you most appreciate or take pride in?    A: I think that the Almond Board's research that's been done over the last few decades in health and nutrition is probably the foundation of our industry's success. I think that our promotional efforts have been incredibly successful. I look specifically at what this industry has done in India and it's just a resounding success story. I look at what has happened in the last half dozen years in Western Europe – Europeans tended to eat almonds in sweets like marzipan and sweet snacks, but through promotional efforts, ABC  has helped to create a whole new almond consumption habit focused on healthy snacking. Changing a culture is difficult and that healthy snacking campaign is an amazing success story. I look at the way that almond shipments to Europe in the last few years have had double-digit growth in a static, mature, non-growing market. ABC did the research and then put the resources behind it and I think it's just an incredible success story. Because it's a new consumption habit, what we can do in the next five years is really exciting.      Q - What’s your favorite way to eat almonds?    A: Number one, a chocolate enrobed Nonpareil 20/22 from Japan. The name of the product is Almond Peak from Glico. It's the best. I also love turron from Spain and will never turn down an almond baklava from Turkey.