A Day of Direction: How the Board Is Guiding WAEF’s Next Chapter
Earlier this week, the WAEF Board of Directors gathered in Ellensburg for a full-day retreat focused on one central purpose: ensuring the foundation is positioned to serve students, families, and the tree fruit industry well into the future. In a period marked by economic headwinds and uncertainty across the industry, board members showed up with commitment, candor, and a shared desire to do what is best for WAEF and the people who depend on it.
The day followed a thoughtful progression from past to present to future. We began by grounding ourselves in WAEF’s 30-plus years of generosity, growth, and community leadership. The industry’s long tradition of investing in its young people surfaced immediately, a reminder that WAEF exists because growers, packers, shippers, allied partners, and our communities believe in strengthening both families and the future workforce. Board members reflected on how programs have evolved over time, sometimes expanding and sometimes stepping back, always with the intention of meeting real needs for the industry and its families.
Our conversation then turned to the present. The board worked through a mini SWOT exercise, naming the strengths that continue to anchor WAEF today: the loyalty of our donors, the industry’s steady commitment to its next generation, a mission that has never wavered, and the flexibility that has allowed WAEF to adapt as student and industry needs change. Alongside those strengths, we also took an honest look at the challenges ahead. Shifts in the broader economy and tree fruit industry, rising higher-education costs, and a changing job market all influence the opportunities and pressures faced by the students and families we serve.
From this foundation, the group moved into strategic conversations about the future. Themes emerged that will shape our planning over the coming months, including strengthened support for students pursuing technical and vocational pathways that align with industry workforce needs, deeper alumni engagement to keep former WAEF students connected to the industry that invested in them, and and strong onboarding and development for the people who make WAEF’s work possible. The board also emphasized carrying forward programs that are already serving our current student mix well, recognizing the success achieved over the years.
Throughout the retreat, there was a clear sense of shared responsibility. Board members were cautious about planning in a challenging economic time, but equally committed to providing clarity and direction so WAEF can remain a reliable partner to the industry and a steady source of opportunity for students. They want staff to have a clear path forward and want the organization to continue delivering the greatest possible impact for young people and the communities they will help shape.
We are grateful to Carl Sohn of AgWest for facilitating the retreat and helping create space for honest conversation and forward-looking thinking.
As we move into the next stage of planning, one message is clear: WAEF’s board and staff take the future of this foundation seriously. We are being intentional about growth, thoughtful about our responsibilities, and deeply committed to ensuring WAEF remains a strong, steady partner to the tree fruit industry and a dependable source of support for the students and families who represent its future.
