Walter J. Clore Award
Exceptional Contribution to the Industry

This award was initiated by the WSGS in recognition of service and significant contribution to the Washington State grape industry.  The following is used by the committee to choose the recipient:

• Service to the Washington State grape industry
• Service to and active participation in the Washington State Grape Society
  
• At least ten years activity with the grape industry
• Active in community service
  

Melissa Hansen​
2022 Walter J. Clore Award Recipient

Photo Courtesy of Kate Prengaman, Good Fruit Grower

Melissa Hansen is no stranger to hard work.  Growing up in small town in the San Joaquin Valley of California, she had dedicated her career in the support of specialty crops.

Prior to serving the Washington grape / viticulture industry, she spent 15 years involved in the California table grape and tree fruit industries as the director of research at the California Table Grape Commission, and director of government affairs for the what is now the California Fresh Fruit Association.  After moving to Washington, she worked for 20 years for the Good Fruit Grower magazine as a writer, covering many grape and tree-fruit related topics.  Melissa is currently the Research Program Director for the Washington State Wine Commission, coordinating the research proposal reviews, and hosting educational outreach events such as WAVE and WAVEx.  Melissa's tireless efforts help keep viticulture research in Washington both cutting-edge, and practically relevant for Washington grape growers.

When she is not working for the wine and grape industry, Melissa is working on the farm with her husband in Ellensburg, WA, growing timothy hay for the export market.

Thank you, Melissa, for all that you have done for the Washington Grape Industry!

Past Walter J. Clore Award Recipients

2021 - Albert Don
2019 - Dennis Pleasant
2018 - Gwen Hoheisel
2017 - Lynn Mills
2016 - Art den Hoed
2015 -  Jack Maljaars
2014  - Mike Means
2013 - Keith Oliver
2012 - Dr. Joan Davenport
2011 - Deb Heintz
2010 - Tim Grow
2009 - Gary Ballard
2008  - Craig Bardwell
2007 - Marcus Freepons
2006 - Kevin Corliss
2005 - Mike Concienne
2004 - Dr. Robert Wample
2003 - Andy Schilperoort
2002 - Dick Boushey
2001 - Mike Sauer
2000 - Wade Wolfe
1999 - Dave Tobin
1998 - Dr. Sara Spayd
1997 - Helen Willard
1996 - Kermit Dorsey
1995 - Bob Early
1994 - Jack Watson
1993 - Randy Hecker
1992 - Lonnie Conners
1991 - Dr. Raymond Folwell
1990 - Dr. Wyatt W. Cone
1989 - Ray Milne
1988 - Theodore Clapp
1987 - Lloyd Porter
1986 - Ron Grow
1985 - Don Golladay
1984 - Frank Olmstead
1983 - Les Fleming
1982 - Jim Eddie
1981 - Dave Wells
1980 - James White
1979 - Warren Tomlinson
1978 - Bill Lewis
1977 - Dr. Walter J. Clore

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Lloyd H. Porter Award
Outstanding Grower of the Year

Click here for the Lloyd H Porter Grower of the Year Nomination Form

This award recognizes grape growers who have succeeded in the following areas:

• Shown five or more years of quality grape production.
  
• Followed established or innovative practices on at least ten or more acres of grapes.
• Contributed to the advancement of the Washington grape industry through significant service.

Gary Schrimsher 
2022 Lloyd H. Porter Award Recipient

Photo Courtesy of Kate Prengaman, Good Fruit Grower.

Gary Scrimsher was born in Pasco, WA. Gary’s dad worked hard through the Great Depression to provide for his family and was known to give much of what he had away to those in worse shape than himself. His example greatly influenced Gary’s work ethic. When Gary was 6 years old in 1942, the government gave their family 30 days to move. Their farm land was re-appropriated for the Hanford Engineering works. Gary’s family relocated to Prosser, where he finished high school in 1958 and married his sweetheart, Miss Prosser 1957, Peggy Joy Parrish.

Gary worked at the Hanford site for two years in the early 1960’s before returning to his roots and farm. He worked many agriculture related jobs, during which he and Pete Symanski developed a new method to harvest the 12 foot tall hop vines with increased speed and efficiency using a cat dozer.
Gary worked for Pete Taggares as a teen, and took a job with him again in 1969. He was responsible for most of the Taggares operations in Othello including trucking, shop, and farm divisions. In 1972 he started running the hay cuber. In 1974, Gary was transferred to manage the 1700 acre Snake River Vineyard in Walla Walla County. He was suddenly the manager of the largest single known Concord grape planting in the world, it was a daunting task!

Gary managed the Snake River Vineyards for over 18 years. In 1974 Gary and his shop crew pioneered an adjustable vertical impact picking head that worked well on the Snake River Vineyard double curtain trellis system. Gary also cut labor costs related to weed control, pruning and irrigation significantly. During that time the vineyard set records for tonnage over a large planting, including a state record of 14.7 tons per acre in 1979. The vineyard average over a 5-year period from 1978 – 1983 was 12.5 tons per acre, over 50% higher than the state average.

Horticulturists, grape experts and others from all over the world regularly toured the vineyard during the time Gary managed it. They were amazed at the sheer size of it, the small management presence, and the number of plants, posts, irrigation systems, etc. They were further amazed that Gary didn’t have a college degree himself or a full-time horticulturist expert on staff or even on retainer. One famous grape expert from the grape growing region of upstate New York asked Gary if he had ever seen a particular problem condition at the vineyard. Gary replied that not only had he not seen the condition, he had never even heard of it, which further amazed the tour.

Through the 1980’s, the remaining 1300 acres of open ground at Snake River Vineyards was transitioned from circle irrigation to either grapes or apples. When Gary left as the vineyard manager in 1992, nearly all of the original 3,000 acres was planted to apples or grapes, having been managed by Gary.

In 2007 – 2008 Gary and Peggy served an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Kingdom of Tonga. They worked at a church high school teaching Tongan youth. Gary taught welding and shop.

Gary lives in Kennewick with his good wife Peggy of 63 years. They have 4 children, Michael of Burbank Hts., Marilyn of Redding, CA., Leslie and Rodney, both of Kennewick. Gary and Peggy also have 17 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

Past Lloyd H. Porter Grower of the Year Recipients

​2021 - Ed Crawford
2019 - Heath Cleveranga
2018 - Richard Hamman
2017 - Tom C. Judkins
2016 - Mimi Nye
2015 - Mike Miller
2014 - Jerry Pace
2013 - Randy Schilperoort
2012 - Virginia Kercheval
2011 - Dennis Pleasant
2010 - Larry Marchant
2009 - Archie den Hoed
2008 - Ken Lewis, Sr.
2007 - Albert Don
2006 - Art den Hoed
2005 - Don Golladay
2004 - Keith Oliver
2003 - Jerry Czebotar
2002 - Marvin Vining
2001 - Bill den Hoed
2000 - Lonnie Conner
1999 - Dion Bros.
1998 - Mike Sauer
1997 - John Mohr
1996 - Vernon Brown
1995 - Lynn Burns
1994 - Theodore D. Clapp
1993 - Fredrick Kilian
1992 - Gladys Murchland
1991 - Jim Herold