California Winegrape Growers Name First Leader Award Winner
January 5, 2012 The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) announced today that Nat DiBuduo, president of Allied Grape Growers, is the CAWG Leader of the Year. The award is presented to the grower based on personal commitment and record of leadership that has benefitted California’s wine industry. DiBuduo is the first recipient of the award which CAWG created to inspire leadership and to acknowledge members who exemplify the strength and influence of the association.
“Nat is most-deserving of this recognition and high honor,” said Bill Pauli, chair of CAWG. “Nat stands up and fights on behalf of all California growers. He is a tenacious advocate for our industry and we’re all better off because of his leadership.”
DiBuduo was born and raised in the Fresno area. He earned a BS degree in Plant Science/Viticulture from California State University, Fresno. But his career path in agriculture was set long before college.
“My grandparents are originally from an agricultural community in southern Italy,” said DiBuduo. “They immigrated to the U.S. in the 1920s and settled in Fresno where they became farm laborers. They worked long, hard hours to buy their first ranches here. Agriculture was a way of life for my ancestors and it just follows that it would be my birthright, too.”
DiBuduo credits a family-owned winery for his winegrape roots and experience. DiBuduo says his family’s winery was among the first to plant varietal wine grapes in the San Joaquin Valley and provided him with valuable industry experience in grape production and processing.
Since 2000 DiBuduo has been President of Allied Grape Growers (AGG), a California winegrape marketing cooperative, with nearly 600 grower-members throughout the state. Under his leadership, the AGG staff was honored with the 2011 BP&F Ag Business Award (Baker, Peterson & Franklin, CPA, LLP presents the award to an agribusiness or farming entity headquartered in the San Joaquin Valley).
DiBuduo’s past work experience has ranged from independent consultant to overseeing the farm management of 24,000 acres of wine grapes, nuts and vegetables.
“Nat’s experience is virtually without competition,” said John Aquirre, CAWG president. “One of the reasons why CAWG is such a powerful advocate for growers, up and down the state, is because we have the voice of Nat DiBuduo.”
When he’s not going to bat for growers, DiBuduo is involved in a number of local activities, boards and organizations including CAWG, the Fresno City Planning Commission, Agricultural Council of California, The Wine Institute, the CSU Fresno Viticulture & Enology Industry Advisory Board, and American/Western Fruit Grower’s Editorial Advisory Board.
DiBuduo is also a valuable resource to the Fresno County Farm Bureau, where he serves as Land Use chairman. In 2007 DiBuduo was named Agriculturist of the Year by the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. Nat was recently appointed to CSU Fresno’s Foundation Board of Governors.
“He’s an award-winner because he’s done it all from A to Z,” said Pauli. “Nat has developed, grown, harvested, and marketed 30 different varieties of grapes, from Alicante Bouschet to Zinfandel.”
While agriculture matters a great deal to DiBuduo, his number one priority has always been family. DiBuduo and his wife Marilyn have been married for 39 years and have three grown children: daughters Nicole and Analise and son Marcus. They are also the proud grandparents of four grandchildren. DiBuduo says the number one priority is to take care of your family the best you can, and help each of them individually achieve personal success.
CAWG’s Leader of the Year award will be presented at the association’s Annual Meeting and Awards of Excellence reception on Jan. 24 in Sacramento.
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