Aug 21, 2023

Sage Fruit’s Steve Clement leads USApple board

The U.S. Apple Association has named Steve Clement, CEO of Washington grower and shipper Sage Fruit Co., as its 2023-24 board of director’s chairman.

Sage Fruit, Yakima, has five warehouse/packing partners and ships more than $280 million of fresh fruit globally. Clement has been with Sage Fruit for 18 years. He also is on the governing board of the Northwest Fruit Exporters. His immediate past role at USApple was vice chair of the board of directors.

“When Steve speaks, people listen,” Jim Bair, USApple president and CEO, said in a news release. “He leads from the front, has a growth mindset and is an expert at building a unified culture. We’re thrilled to have him as our chair during a critical time in Washington D.C.”

Prior to Sage Fruit, Clement was a business consultant, working with privately held organizations on mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and ownership succession planning. Clement is fluent in Spanish, which he uses regularly in managing relationships with partners in Chile and Mexico. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Utah, and an MBA in finance from Brigham Young University.

Clement succeeds Brenda Briggs, vice president of sales and marketing for Rice Fruit Co. in Pennsylvania, in the position.

USApple’s other board officers for 2023-24 are:
• Vice chairman — Brett Baker, president of United Apple Sales LLC, New York
• Secretary — Steve Smith, vice president of marketing for Washington Fruit, Washington
• Treasurer — Kaari Stannard, president and CEO, of New York Apple Sales, New York
• Immediate past chairwoman — Brenda Briggs, vice president of sales and marketing for  Rice Fruit Co., Pennsylvania