Hall Of Fame Grower: Steve Blizzard
April 1, 2008 
The International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) Hall of Fame Award was presented to Dr. Steve Blizzard at IFTA’s annual meeting banquet in Visalia, CA, on February 16. Vice president Larry Lutz presented the award and made the following remarks:
“Three years ago IFTA initiated the IFTA Hall of Fame Award. This award is designed to recognize individuals whose contributions have made IFTA the organization that it is today, the premier educational organization for tree fruit growers. Dr. Blizzard has been a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share his opinion. He is also a great communicator.”
Blizzard was born in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and is a fifth-generation grower. In 1974 Blizzard received his Ph.D. in plant pathology and horticulture. He soon became the assistant director and research coordinator for the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences at West Virginia University.
During his years at West Virginia, Blizzard attained the rank of professor and mentored nine graduate students. He has traveled all over the world, sharing his ideas on rootstocks and training systems with growers around the world whom he calls friends.
In 1988, Blizzard moved to Texas as president of Texas Hill Country Orchards, where he established more than 700 acres of high-density orchard. This orchard later succumbed to a little known disease: cotton root rot. “His friends are careful not to mention this, unless we have the opportunity, on a regular basis,” said Lutz.
He then moved to California where he oversaw the establishment of more than 2,000 acres of Pink Lady apples for LOGOLUSO Farms in Madera, CA. Currently he is director of field operations at LagoMarsino Group (www.lagomarsino.com) in Visalia, where he manages more than 3,000 acres of stone fruit, grapes, and blueberries as director of farming.
“Steve has been a great friend of this organization, serving as president from 1999-2001 and completing three terms as a director,” said Lutz. “He is one of the most knowledgeable horticulturists that I know and I can think of no one more deserving of this award.”
The two previous recipients of the Hall of Fame Award were Wally Heuser and Paul Rood, both of Michigan.
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