The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) honored six admired members of the blueberry industry during an awards breakfast during the The 2026 Blueberry Convention, held recently in Monterey.
Honored with the Hall of Fame Award were Ron Bodtke (posthumously), of Cornerstone Ag Enterprises; and Mark Hurst, of Hurst Family Berries. The council and industry’s highest honor, the Hall of Fame Award celebrates leaders, growers and suppliers who have made a lasting impact on the blueberry industry in North America.
Previous winners of this award include: Mike Mainland, North Carolina State University; Victor Moller (posthumously), Hortifrut; Mark Villata, former NABC/USHBC executive director; Denny Doyle, Atlantic Blueberry Co.; and Art Galletta, Atlantic Blueberry Co.
Honored with the Duke Galletta Award was Ed Wheeler, breeder and project manager at MBG Marketing. This award recognizes excellence in blueberry horticultural research.
Previous winners include: Bill Cline, North Carolina State University; Gene J. Galletta, Ph.D. (posthumously); Ridley Bell, Mountain Blue Orchards; Gerard W. Krewer, University of Georgia; Bernadine Strik, Ph.D., Oregon State University; and Judy Macias, USDA.
Honored with the Alex Wetherbee Award were Bryan Sakuma, manager at Sakuma Brothers Farms and former USHBC chair; and Shelly Hartmann, owner of True Blue Farms and former USHBC chair. The Alex Wetherbee Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the blueberry industry in marketing and promotion.
Previous winners include: Janice Honigberg, Sun Belle; Pat Goin, Goin’s Blueberry Lane; Keith Mixon, Mixon Family Farms; Andres Armstrong, Chilean Blueberry Committee; John Shelford, Naturipe; and Whitesbog Preservation Trust.
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Honored with the second annual Women in Blueberries Elizabeth White Award was Bonnie Lundblad of Jersey Fruit. This award celebrates the extraordinary contributions of women in the blueberry industry.
The previous winner of this award was Lorrie Merker, former vice president, MBG Marketing.
“Our industry’s growth is fueled by visionaries who dedicate their lives to pushing boundaries and lifting up everyone around them. This year’s honorees embody the true spirit of leadership and innovation,” said NABC and USHBC President Kasey Cronquist. “Their extraordinary contributions have not only shaped where the blueberry industry stands today, but are paving the way for where we’re headed next.”
Industry members and the NABC Nomination Committee were invited to submit nominations for these prestigious blueberry industry awards. Nominations for the 2027 awards will open in summer 2027.
— Story contributed by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council