News

(VISALIA, CA) - New officers are at the helm of SRT's conservation mission, but they're not new to SRT at all.

Brian Grant was elected Board Chair at December's annual meeting. Brian previously served as Vice Chair, joining the board in 2015. Grant serves as Executive Vice President for Nickel Family, LLC, a diversified, family owned agribusiness company with operations in Kern, Fresno and Merced Counties. He previously held Vice President positions with Bolthouse Farms and the Tejon Ranch Company. He brings over 20 years of experience in agriculture, water management, real estate and ranch operations to the SRT Board. He holds a B.S. degree in Agricultural Business from Colorado State University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Resource Studies from Lincoln University in New Zealand, a Master of Public Policy and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

In addition to serving on the SRT Board, he serves on a variety of water agricultural boards throughout the San Joaquin Valley. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters, fly fishing, skiing, or playing tennis. 

New Vice Chair Dennis Tristao joined the SRT Board of Directors in late 2021 with over 30 years of agricultural industry experience as an agronomist, executive overseeing environmental compliance for crop production and food processing services, and as a policy advocate who has influenced state and national legislation concerning agricultural and environmental issues.

Tristao has played an integral role in aligning agricultural producers with researchers and government regulators to create successful partnerships between stakeholders to address air quality from an agricultural perspective, and has, and remains, involved with producers, agricultural grower
associations, and Resource Conservation Districts to foster locally led concepts in addressing environmental resource concerns.

Nationally, he was appointed to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, where their efforts resulted in the Memorandum of Understanding between the USDA and EPA on agricultural air quality research, the establishment of a research priority and funding recommendation, and a recommendation for national policy on implementing a voluntary incentive-based compliance strategy for agricultural producers. Mr. Tristao retired from an internationally known agricultural farming and processing corporation, however, through ADSUM SJV, INC., he continues to institute compliance programs and address State and federal environmental issues related to agriculture.

Treasurer Mike Olmos is well known as retired Visalia City Manager and current manager for the City of Hanford, but he has long served the SRT board, including as past Chair. Olmos rejoined the board after announcing his retirement from City of Visalia in 2017 following a 16-year career there in various capacities. 

Board Secretary Mark Larsen's experience as General Manager for Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District has long been invaluable to SRT. Larsen joined the SRT Board in 2016 and served as Chair until 2020.

At the water district he manages projects, develops water management policy, and engages in developing and maintaining relationships with various local entities towards groundwater mitigation, water transfers, water education and conservation since 2002. He also serves as watermaster for the Kaweah and St. Johns Rivers Association, on the board of the Water Education Foundation, and as coordinator for the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency, as well as on the board of the Tulare County Flood Commission. Mr. Larsen holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from California State University, Fresno.