Stakeholder Advisory Board | Bee Informed Partnership

The board will pre-screen survey questions and provide feedback on outputs. Joining and complementing this team will be evolving groups of stakeholder focus groups who will be asked to prescreen survey design and beta test utility of deliverables. The stakeholder board will be invited to the annual meeting of co-PDs where program deliverables will be reported and guided criticism of past and planed activities will be invited.

Kenny Haff, American Honey Producers Association – Ken Haff is the owner of Haff Apiaries in Mandan, ND. He has been a commercial beekeeper for the past 33 years. Ken is a past director for both the ND Beekeepers Association and the AHPA Executive Board. He is
also Past President of the American Honey
Producers Association.

Christi Heintz, Project Apis m., Executive Director – Christi Heintz has been managing production research for the California almond industry for the past 12 years. She currently operates as a research consultant, managing pollination research for both the almond industry and Project Apis m. Christi also manages the environmental sustainability program for the Almond Board. Christi holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from UC Davis and has been a hobby beekeeper.

Ed Levi, Apiary Inspectors of America, Secretary of the Apiary Inspectors of America – In 1984, Ed became Apiary Specialist and Inspector for the Arkansas State Plant Board and continues to work in that position. This involves bee disease detection and identification, enforcing the State’s Apiary Laws and Regulations and educating beekeepers about modern techniques and the public about the importance and protection of the honeybee. Ed teaches classes, speaks to all different types of organizations in Arkansas and for beekeeping groups in numerous states. He also writes a statewide newsletter.

Gordy Wardell, Paramount Farming Company, Apiculturist and Native Bee Researcher -

Working in commercial pollination I see a broad cross section of commercial bees from around the country. The Bee Informed Partnership will be a great way to link what we are seeing in almond pollination to bee health nationwide. On top of that, it will give me tools and information to work with our commercial pollinators and help improve bee health and colony management. You ask about my favorite honey? It would have to be Sonoran mesquite but I’m really starting to enjoy California orange blossom. Hey, bloom where you are planted!

David Mendes, American Beekeeping Federation, Chief Executive

David Mendes has been a commercial beekeeper for 35+ years. He is the owner of Headwaters Farm, of N Fort Myers, FL, which provides hives to pollinate California almonds, Maine blueberries, and Massachusetts cranberries. David has been an active proponent of bee research and extension to improve beekeeper management. He is the former President of the American Beekeeping Federation, a member of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board, a Board Member of Project Apis m, and a Trustee of the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey bees. He is also a life member of the Florida State Beekeepers Association and the Eastern Apicultural Society. When not tied up in conference calls and Board meetings, he operates 12,000+ beehives for pollination and honey production. He is very appreciative to his manager and great staff that keep the bees alive and healthy.

David Miksa, Miska Honey Farms, Owner – David Miksa has been keeping honeybees for 55 years following in his father Andrew’s footsteps who started in 1936. He presently operates a family-owned queen rearing farm with his wife, Linda, children and grandchildren. For the past seven years, successfully shipping tens of thousands of queen cells each year via next day UPS. In the past, they have done honey production in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and still do in Florida. Past employment includes insect researcher at Cornell University under Dr. R.A. Morse, a life- long friend and several years doing bee breeding research at the USDA Madison Bee Management Lab under Dr. Floyd Moeller and E.R. Harp