Senator Schoesler honored with Stu Bledsoe Leadership award

Senator Mark Schoesler received the 2016 Stu Bledsoe Leadership Memorial Award from members of Leadership Class 37 of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation Leadership Program (AgForestry) at their graduation ceremony in Pasco on May 6.

The Stu Bledsoe Leadership Memorial Award is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to natural resource industries in Washington state.

The award voted on by the members of the graduating leadership class is given in honor of the late Stu Bledsoe, who served as the Washington State Director of Agriculture, Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives, and Executive Director of the Washington Forest Protection Association.

Senator Schoesler is honored with the Stu Bledsoe Leadership Award in recognition of a lifetime of leadership in demonstrating the value of all citizens working together to the betterment of the state’s natural resources.

Leadership Class 37 felt that the long-term, positive effects of Senator Schoesler’s trailblazing on behalf of agriculture, forestry and the natural resources of Washington state deserved the honor of the award.

Senator Schoesler is a fifth generation dryland wheat farmer in Ritzville on land his family has been farming since the 1880s.

Senator Schoesler values and promotes “sensible agricultural practices” and job creation.

A graduate of AgForestry Leadership Class 10, Senator Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, the largest district in the state.

His passion to assure future generations have opportunities to prosper, launched his public service journey.

He is also appointed to the Select Committee on Pension Policy and formerly served on the Agricultural and Rural Economic Development Committee.

Senator Schoesler has continually sponsored and championed legislation that protects the rights of producers and land owners, maintains common sense water quality policy, and takes burdensome taxes and regulation off the backs of the natural resource industries in Washington State.


The award is presented by the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, which has developed leaders for healthy farms, forests and communities since 1978 through its AgForestry Leadership Program.

The program has more than 1,000 graduates and is funded by generous donors representing individuals and businesses in the natural resource industries from all across the state.