Tom Deardorff continues a family tradition of service started by his great- grandfather. He is the fourth generation Deardorff to serve on the Western Growers board, with a family member serving continuously for over 50 years. Deardorff Family Farms began as a packer-shipper in Los Angeles and then moved to Oxnard, as urbanization squeezed Los Angeles County out of the growing business in the early 1960s. Today, the company is a grower-packer-shipper of both conventional and organic celery, tomatoes, strawberries and mixed lettuce.
Tom graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He also received a law degree from Southwestern Law School. Tom is a past chairman of the Ventura County Agricultural Association Board, serves on the United Fresh Produce Association Board of Directors, and is a member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.
Tom was elected to the board in 2001, and served as chairman in 2011.