KULA, HI (Dec. 30, 2022)– 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 meet 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 Warren K Watanabe. “I look forward to working with all of the directors.”
Re-elected to the board and leading the way is Kyle Caires who was re-elected board president; Joshua Shyloh Stafford-Jones re-elected as vice president; and returning director and re-elected treasurer Tim Stevens. The returning board members include Bobbie Patnode, Rodrigo “Rudy” Balala, Brendan Balthazar, James “Kimo” Falconerand Jayson Watts. Rounding out the board is Ethan Romanchak one of two new directors who was elected secretary, and the second new director is Theresa Thompson.
Ethan Romanchak was born and raised on Maui and attended Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo for a bachelor’s minoring in horticulture, and received a master’s degree in horticulture from UH Mānoa. He previously worked for Maui Land and Pineapple Company, 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 Hawai‘i, 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. Ethan lives in Keokea with his wife, two boys, and two dogs.
Theresa 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 Maui Cattlemen’s Association, and a member of the Agricultural Working Group.
The full MCFB board members include the following:
Officers:
President Kyle Caires
Vice President Joshua Shyloh Stafford-Jones
Secretary Ethan Romanchak
Treasurer Tim Stevens
Directors:
Bobbie Patnode
Brendan Balthazar
Jayson Watts
James “Kimo” Falconer
Rodrigo “Rudy” Balala
Theresa Thompson
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. We are affiliated with both the statewide Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation.