“I was born in Walla Walla, Washington, but spent most of my childhood in the Yakima Valley. Growing up I moved around a lot with my father’s job, President of Food Service of America,” said Clark. Eventually Clark landed back in Yakima, Washington where his parents were born and raised.
Tom did not grow up in the agriculture industry but living in the Yakima Valley opened his eyes to the opportunities available in the industry. He studied biology and chemistry at Central Washington University. “I worked for Washington State Department of Agriculture prior to coming to Tree Top. Working for WSDA exposed me to the amazing amount of growth within the industry and had me yearning to learn more. My father introduced me to the food business at a very young age and I knew that somewhere in the food industry was my calling,” said Tom. Clark was then given an opportunity to work with Tree Top, Inc. in quality assurance, working for the very procurement team that he is now a part of, and he has not looked back.
As the southern field account manager, Tom covers the Yakima Valley, predominately for apple and pear, as well as parts of Idaho and Utah.
“Working for Tree Top has been a great opportunity and experience. I really enjoy the opportunity to work with and help our growers. I love being out in the field, meeting with our growers and packers face to face is what it’s all about. Being able to communicate openly with our members helps create a relationship and builds trust that benefits everyone,” said Clark.
Tom brings a positive energy and thirst for knowledge to his account manager role. He is eager and willing to be part of the ever-changing ag industry. “I enjoy the fact that as a grower-owned coop, we are here for our growers as well as our own retail and ingredients brands. We are supporting our growers who work tirelessly, growing the best fruit for our plants. We’re also here to support consumers and ingredient customers' whom we serve with our delicious products.”
“As part of the procurement team, it all starts with us. For Tree Top to create the amazing products we do, we must start with obtaining the best raw product. We recognize the importance of procuring quality fruit and each one of us makes a difference in the outcome from our growers’ farms to our pack houses to our manufacturing plants,” added Clark.