Greg Bird to Head up the Michigan Vegetable Council
March 28, 2018 
After a long search, the Michigan Vegetable Council found its Executive Director. Greg Bird, of Mason, MI, will step into the role that has been held by Dave Smith, who is retiring.
Bird has already joined the Council’s staff and will officially become its Executive Director on April 2, 2018. Smith served as the Council’s Executive Director since 1998.
“I have had the pleasure over the years of working with many good people on our board, as well as working with many others involved with or connected to our industry,” he says. “I think the Council’s activities have been beneficial to the growers we represent. I have especially enjoyed working with Ben Kudwa in recent years. We both feel the Council is at a good point for transitioning to a new Executive Director to lead its activities.”
Ben Kudwa, who has served as Director of External Relations on a part-time basis over the past four years, is also stepping down from his position.
Bird’s background is in information technology, with more than 20 years of experience in private industry and government. Most recently, he served as the project manager for the Michigan Department of Education’s grant system.
The Michigan Vegetable Council is a voluntary membership organization that represents more than 1,200 grower members. Among its activities, the Council supports vegetable research and education programs, funds scholarships, and represents the interests of vegetable growers on issues of importance. The Council is co-sponsor of the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo, which is an education program and trade show that attracts 4,000 attendees annually.
In recent years, Bird has been involved in a number of activities which will help him in his new role. He has taken on growing through a family hobby farm (which has farmstead and cropping verifications from the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program for following responsible environmental practices), he volunteers at the Urbandale farm in Lansing and at the Lansing Roots program, which supplies fresh produce to local food banks.
“What really came through when we interviewed Greg was his passion for getting involved with the agricultural industry,” Smith says.
“I still have much to learn from vegetable growers and others, so that I can help support the industry,” Bird says. “I’m most excited about gaining additional knowledge by traveling around the state to visit the Council’s board members and other key growers.”
“We appreciate Dave’s service to the Council and our industry over the years he served as Executive Director. We are excited about what Greg is bringing to this position in terms of his abilities and interest in working on behalf of vegetable growers,” says Doug Horkey, a vegetable grower from Dundee, MI, and currently serves as president of the Michigan Vegetable Council’s Board of Directors.
Bird can be reached at gbird@michiganvegetablecouncil.org and 517-392-0719. As of April 2, 2018, the Council’s office phone number will be 517-663-6725 and the mailing address will be P.O. Box 367, Mason, MI 48854.
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