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New Fruit Growers’ Association GM has Okanagan experience

Melissa Tesche is the former general manager of the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Board
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Melissa Tesche is the new general manager of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association. (LinkedIn)

The BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA) has hired a new general manager.

Melissa Tesche was formerly the general manager of the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Board from 2015.

A BCFGA release states Tesche has experience with the Okanagan Water Basin Board and degrees in conservation biology and biological sciences from the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta.

Tesche, who is from Alberta, takes over from retiring general manager Glen Lucas on March 4 following his 25-year tenure.

“We are very happy to welcome Melissa to the BCFGA team,” said Peter Simonsen, BCFGA president. “It is a great advantage that past general manager Glen Lucas has developed a transition plan, which started last March, and that Glen has agreed to support Melissa in her new role.”

Tree Fruit sector operations and capital investments, directly and indirectly, contributed $162 million to B.C.’s gross domestic product in 2019, sustaining an estimated 2,490 jobs.

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Recently joined Kelowna Capital News and WestK News as a multimedia journalist in January 2022. With almost 30 years of experience in news reporting and radio broadcasting...
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