Congratulations to Jerry Tate, who has been named the 2011 Washington State Beekeepers Association Beekeeper of the Year.

Jerry Tate, a past president of the IEBA, was nominated by another past president in the following letter, which we are pleased to excerpt on our site.

Dear Sir,

I have the honor and privilege to nominate Mr. Jerry Tate for the 2011 Washington State Beekeepers Association Beekeeper of the Year award.

Jerry Tate has been a mainstay for the Inland Empire Beekeepers Association (IEBA) and the Washington State Beekeepers Association (WSBA) for several decades. Jerry is a second generation beekeeper who started keeping bees with his dad, Wes Tate, before he started kindergarten. In the Mid 70’s Wes Tate opened a retail outlet for beekeeping supplies for the Spokane area. In 1988 Wes went into partnership with Jerry and founded Tate’s Honey Farm.

Jerry Tate has served several terms as President of the Inland Empire Beekeepers Association and President of the Washington State Beekeepers Association. Jerry has also been a key member of the management team for the IEBA fair booth at the Spokane Interstate Fair. Through these efforts to improve the booth and educate the public the IEBA has received several top booth awards and has made it the center of attention in the Ag Building during the fair. His leadership of both the IEBA and the WSBA has been exemplary. Membership numbers have grown. The impact of the associations has increased, serving both the members and the public. The image and necessity of honey bees and beekeeping has increased in the public and local/state government perception. Jerry has also been key in improving the relationship between beekeepers and the entomology department at Washington State University. Washington state beekeepers are better served by the university through his efforts.

The biggest impact by Jerry is all the advice you can get at the bee shop counter or at the IEBA bee meetings he always attends. His support, good advice, and always having the time to help new beekeepers has lead to many successful hobby beekeepers in the Spokane area. Many of our area’s commercial beekeepers got their start working with Jerry. He always has time to help, mentor, give good advice, and lend a helping hand to any beekeeper. He has touched and encouraged hundreds of beekeepers and fellow association members.

Sincerely,

Ted W. Swenson, Past President Inland Empire Beekeepers Association