Our Team

Keith Veselka

CEO

Keith grew up in Houston, Texas and brings with him the spirit of a self-assured, bold and true, Texan. His strong character stands on its own, makes no bones about what he can deliver, and never compromises on his promises.
Keith received his degree (Law & Justice) in 2004 from Central Washington University and spent 7 years as a United States Air Force Nuclear Operations Officer and Flight Commander. The skills that enabled him to serve his country as an Air Force officer uniquely enable him to lead NWFM orchard operations. Intelligence, attention to detail, integrity, and determination to get the job done help Keith manage any challenge so his customers can sleep well at night.
Keith also currently serves as a Commissioner on the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) & Co-chair of the Technology Committee. While also helping provide scholarships to students by serving as a Executive board member of the Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) and in the past served as President of the Yakima Pomological Club.

Greg Newman

Agronomy

Born and raised in Yakima Valley, agriculture was a part of daily life for Greg. With over 24 years of experience in horticulture and crop consulting, Greg has seen his share of the ups and downs in production. He finds satisfaction in the challenge of finding solutions and collaborating with growers to produce a great crop even when nature throws a curveball.
Greg has the invaluable combination of insight, experience, tenacity, and courage to tackle the toughest challenges.

Scott Jacky

Orchard Design and Development

Scott was born and raised on a farm in Eastern Washington. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Washington State University (Go COUGS!) and, shortly after, his Professional Engineer license in the states of California and Washington.
He started his career designing bridges and then moved on to the construction industry, where he spent 13 years. In 2009, Scott moved to Yakima and served as the General Manager of Valley Fruit Orchards until 2019.
These days Scott spends the majority of his time combining his engineering, construction, and agricultural knowledge in designing and managing orchard development projects. Having been an orchard manager Scott has the advantage of knowing the grower’s needs and is always looking for a way to speed up installation and reduce labor costs for his clients.
When not working on orchard development projects, Scott enjoys getting out in the orchards and discussing horticultural practices with the rest of the NWFM crew.

Tim Hull

Administration, Safety, and Compliance

Tim is charged with Food Safety, Compliance, Administration, and Special Projects.
Tim grew up on a working, tree fruit operation and graduated from Wheaton College, Illinois with a B.A. in Economics. Tim brings a broad perspective to his position with experience in facilities management, fleet management and small business systems development.

John Lippolis

Director of Staff

John grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and at age seven moved to Highland, New York. After graduating High School, John joined the United States Air Force where he served on active duty for 26 years as Nuclear Operations Officer.
Six months before his retirement, John applied and was approved to intern with NWFM through the DoD Skillbridge program. John's background in operations, leading large teams, and acquisition/integration of technology to increase efficiencies will be a great benefit as NWFM continues to grow.

Alma Arias

Human Resources Manager

As a Yakima Valley born and raised, Alma carries a deep connection to the tree fruit industry and has been immersed in it since her teenage years, starting as a farmworker.
She graduated from CWU with a business admin degree specializing in HR. Since then, she has gained over 8 years of progressive experience managing all aspects of the employee life cycle.
Outside of the professional realm, she finds comfort in the outdoors, embracing the joys of hiking and camping.

Julie Monteith

Accounting Manager

Julie was born and raised in Toppenish, WA and after obtaining her degree in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University and a few years working in Seattle, she was drawn back to the Yakima Valley to raise her family.
Julie brings over 30 years of accounting and financial experience to NWFM with a strong understanding of cost accounting and payroll. One of Julie's top priorities is creating individual monthly financial analyses for clients to assure that expenses and income are in alignment with agreed budgets. This is a key component to the successful management and operation of farms and ranches managed by NWFM, LLC

Carmelo Garcia

Area Manager

Carmelo spent his adolescence in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico, where he did his basic studies.
At the age of 21, he moved to Washington state where he started his new life in the orchards of Zirkle fruit company. He worked there for 20 years where he learned about apples, cherries, and blueberries. It is this knowledge that he uses today at NWFM.

Victor Camacho

Assistant Manager

As a key member of NWFM LLC leadership, Victor is a well-versed and progressive ranch manager. The satisfaction of being in the field and cultivating a crop from before bloom to harvest is his passion and it shows in the production successes he has demonstrated year over year.
Instead of relying on past success to drive to the future, Victor takes each season and orchard as an opportunity for learning and improving on current practices.

Noe Ayala

Area Manager

Noe was born in Mexico but immigrated to the United States as a young boy. He graduated from high school and attended college and aviation school in the Tri-Cities Washington area.
His passion has always been to work outdoors, and help the environment, and the impoverished communities in our beautiful state of Washington. Noe has always liked challenges, always thinking of productive, effective results, and producing good financial returns for everyone in our industry. That is why he am proud to be part of the NWFM family.

Rachel Arroyo

Quality Control Director

Born and raised in the heart of the Yakima Valley, Rachel Arroyo has deep roots in the local community. A graduate of Selah High School and a proud mother of two sons, Rachel brings over 20 years of experience in the agricultural industry to her role at NWFM.
Her career has been defined by hard work and determination, starting with hands-on roles in the field and progressing into leadership positions. As Quality Control Director, Rachel is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards across all NWFM operations. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of the industry allow her to bring a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to her work.
When she’s not ensuring quality excellence at NWFM, Rachel enjoys spending time on the water. Whether paddleboarding or relaxing by the lake, she finds inspiration and balance in nature.

Guillermo Arzaga

H2A Programs Manager

Guillermo was born in Mexico, but he and his family moved to Yakima when he was 10. He worked in the fields growing up and graduated from Davis High.
Guillermo started in the Ag industry 15 years ago, processing payroll for a fruit company with multiple orchards; he was given additional responsibilities and eventually moved into a Human Resources (HR) role. Guillermo enjoys working with people and has worked in different capacities within HR for the last 12 years. He brings knowledge and experience in policies, hiring, H2A, benefits management, as well as employee safety.
In his spare time, Guillermo enjoys dancing and spending time with family, especially playing basketball and fishing with his sons.

Grayson Andrews

Inventory Specialist

Born and raised in Yakima, Grayson grew up with grandparents who farmed apples, pears, and cherries so he had always had an interest in agriculture and being out in the orchard. He graduated from CWU with a Business Sports Management degree, specializing in Analytics and a minor in accounting.
In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors playing basketball, soccer, and baseball.