Sunkist Growers Elect 2009 Board

February 2009, Ventura, California…..Nicholas L. Bozick of Mecca, California was unanimously re-elected to a fourth term as Chairman of the Board of Sunkist Growers following the citrus cooperative's 115th annual meeting in Ventura, California on February 18. Bozick is President of Richard Bagdasarian, Inc., a family run multi-commodity produce, growing packing and shipping business in the Coachella Valley. In addition to citrus, the company also handles table grapes and vegetables. He has served on the board of directors of both Sunkist and Fruit Growers Supply Company, a manufacturing and supply cooperative affiliate of Sunkist. Bozick is a former chairman of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, having served on that organization's executive committee for seven years and on the board for well over 15 years.

Re-elected Vice Chairmen for 2009 are Craig Armstrong of Palm Desert, California and James P. Finch of Ojai, California. Newly elected to a Vice Chairmanship is Gerald M. Denni of Strathmore, California.

Armstrong was elected to the Sunkist board of directors in 2006 from the Southern California Citrus Exchange. A third generation citrus grower and packer in the California desert area. Armstrong is general manager of Coachella Valley Citrus and Dunlap Farm Management Company in Thermal, California where he has worked for the past 10 years.

Denni, Sunkist member since 1986, was elected to the Sunkist board in 2007 from the California Citrus Growers Exchange where he serves as Administrator. Denni grows several varieties of oranges including Navels, Valencias, Cara Caras and Bloods in the Lindsay and Strathmore areas. He is General Manager of Golden Valley Citrus in Strathmore and co-owner of Mittman-Denni Citrus Management, which manages over 1,800 acres of California-grown citrus.

Finch was elected to the Sunkist board in 2004 from the Saticoy Fruit Exchange. A third generation citrus he and his family grow lemons, oranges and avocados in Ventura County, California. In addition to his agricultural interests, Finch serves as a Trustee of the Monica Ross School.

Bringing the board total to 27 are: Lee C. Bailey of Orange Cove, Calif.; William E. Chaney of Sun City, Arizona; Steve Cutting of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Rob Davis of Ojai, Calif.; Donald E. Dames of Oxnard, Calif.; Harold S. Edwards of Santa Paula, Calif.; Mark D. Gillette of Dinuba, Calif.; John M. Grether of Somis, Calif.; Russell Katayama of Orosi, Calif.; Gary Laux of Porterville, Calif.; Manuel Martinez of Redland, Calif.; Eric M. Meling of Ivanhoe, Calif.; Samuel G. Mayhew of Oxnard, Calif.; Tom L. Mazzetti of Riverside, Calif.; Martin Mittman of Porterville, Calif.; Dick R. Neece of Porterville, Calif.; Cecilia A. Perry of Yuma, Arizona; Richard W. Pidduck of Santa Paula, Calif.; Kevin R. Riddle of Orosi, Calif.; Gary M. Romoff of Los Angeles, Calif.; Chuck Sheldon of Lindsay, Calif.; and Randy Veeh of Visalia, Calif., and Bruce D. Wileman of Exeter, Calif.

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