Maui County Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors includes (from left): front — Theresa Thompson, Tim Stevens, Rudy Balala and Ethan Romanchak; second row — Kyle Caires and Joshua Shyloh Stafford-Jones. Missing from photo are Directors Bobbie Patnode, Brendan Balthazar, Jayson Watts and James “Kimo” Falconer.

KULA — For the new two-year term, the Maui County Farm Bureau retained eight directors and elected two new directors, including Ethan Romanchak and Theresa Thompson.

Warren K. Watanabe is the executive director.

The Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of each month. General membership meetings are held in March, June, September and December.

“The board of directors will continue to serve its members and work hard in support of a viable agricultural industry,” said Watanabe.

“I look forward to working with all of the directors.” Reelected to the board and leading the way is Kyle Caires, who was re-elected board president.

Joshua Shyloh Stafford-Jones and Tim Stevens were reelected as vice president and treasurer, respectively.

The returning board members include Bobbie Patnode, Rodrigo “Rudy” Balala, Brendan Balthazar, James “Kimo” Falconer and Jayson Watts.

Rounding out the board is Ethan Romanchak — one of two new directors who was elected secretary. The second new director is Theresa Thompson.

Romanchak was born and raised on Maui and attended Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree, minoring in Horticulture, and received a Master’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He previously worked for Maui Land and Pineapple Company’s Watershed Department.

Since 2003, he has co-owned and operated Native Nursery LLC in Kula with Jonathan Keyser. They provide many landowners — including the State of Hawaii, private ranches and other large landowners — with koa, ‘ohi’a and other Native Hawaiian plants for reforestation.

They employ 11 full-time and six part-time workers that specialize in plant propagation, nursery production, forestry project implementation, fruit tree production and wholesale/retail sales statewide.

Romanchak lives in Keokea with his wife, two boys and two dogs.

Thompson is an Upcountry resident and teacher at Makawao Elementary School. She was born and raised in Kula and is the youngest of the Thompson Ranch family.

She is the vice president of the Maui Cattlemen’s Association and a member of the Agricultural Working Group.

Maui County Farm Bureau is a grassroots 501(c)(5) organization of farms and ranch families, agricultural industries and associated organizations dedicated to supporting agriculture in Maui County.

MCFB is affiliated with both the statewide Hawaii Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

For more information visit www.mauicountyfarmbureau.org.