(Charlotte, Michigan) – Hop Growers of Michigan (HGM), the non-profit organization representing the hop industry in the Great Lakes State, has recently expanded its volunteer board from five to nine members.
“As a 100% volunteer association we’ve had our ups and downs with volunteers to participate as board members,” says Mark Trowbridge, HGM chairman. “We’ve been functioning with a minimum of five board members for some time now and when the four new members offered to participate, the current board agreed the best thing to do is to accept all as board members.”
Newly appointed board members include:
Shawn Arnold, Arnold Hop Farm
Rick Kawalski, Hop Head Farms
Jim Schlichting, Blue Lake Hops
Brian Tennis, Hop Alliance
The four join the existing board (all with terms expiring the end of 2024):
Mark Trowbridge, Top Hops Farm (Chairman)
Jim Mikesell, Dog Star Hops (Treasurer)
Julie Kane, Sandy Ridge Farms (Secretary)
Bonnie Steinman, Bell’s Brewery
Todd Taylor, Taylor Hops
“Other than the officer positions, the primary function of a board member is to provide input on setting direction and advice on how to best serve the purpose of having a growers’ association,” Trowbridge continues. “The four new members will bring hop grower experience from both very small to very large acreage, and from the hands-on agronomy to the equally important sales end of the business.”
Michigan is currently ranked fourth in the nation as a hop growing state and is the largest outside of the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 400 acres in hop production.
Hop Growers of Michigan was formed in 2015 and is a member of Hop Growers of America and Michigan Brewers Guild. The goals of HGM are to conduct educational programming and instruction on commercial hop growing and processing in Michigan; facilitate best practice exchanges, sharing of techniques and knowledge; enlist the support of Michigan higher education institutions for research and development of hop horticulture and processing; promote and market the utilization of Michigan hops; and partner with other organizations to advance the interest of Michigan hop growers and craft brewing.
