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Tim Smith is Apple Citizen of the Year

The WSU Extension educator receives industry recognition.

Tim Smith, a Washington State University Extension educator for the past 25 years, has been named Apple Citizen of the Year by the tree fruit industry of north central Washington within a week of receiving a prestigious award from the university.
The Apple Citizen of the Year award was started in 1981 to honor the roots of Wenatchee's Apple Blossom Festival and the leaders that helped the district claim the title of the Apple Capital of the World. The late Grady Auvil was the first recipient.
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in biology from Eastern Oregon University and a master’s degree, magna cum laude, in plant pathology from WSU. He began his career as Extension agent for Grant and Adams Counties from 1975 to 1982 and has been extension educator for Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan Counties since 1982. He has earned wide recognition for his work on fireblight, replant disease, and cherry fruit fly control.
Apple Blossom Queen Margaret Robinson presented a plaque to Smith during a reception on March 31. Smith will ride in the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Grand Parade on May 1.
Kirk Mayer, manager of the Washington Growers Clearing House Association, said Smith has outstanding rapport with fruit growers and they depend on his unbiased advice. “I think there’d be a lot of growers in this area who would not be in business without his education, research, and outreach efforts,” Mayer said. “He’s saved the industry millions of dollars.”
On March 26, Smith received the prestigious Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Outreach and Engagement from WSU for his dedication to helping growers in Washington.
Smith said he was honored to receive awards from both his peers at the university and from the industry.