“CELEBRATION OF LIFE” FOR POTATO COMMISSIONER, MIKE MADSEN

Our Washington potato community suffered a great lost last Friday with the sudden passing of current Potato Commissioner, Mike Madsen.   Mike was a dedicated servant to the Washington State potato industry. As a past Chair of the Potato Commission, Mike was a thoughtful leader, always reaching out to others for their opinions and ideas. He led with vision and optimism, always thinking about the future. Our conversations with Mike often focused on “What can we be doing today that will help our growers be better prepared for what might be on the horizon.”  Mike was passionate about potatoes, and it showed! He was a staunch supporter of potato research. He believed investing in new variety development was critical in helping us solve today’s and tomorrow's production issues. Mike was part of a small team of people that literally looked at hundreds of thousands of genetically different potato plants, in search of new varieties that were high yielding, high quality, and resistant to the pest and disease we face today.  Mike was also a Board member of the Potato Variety Management Institute (PVMI), promoting those new varieties that help our growers maintain their sustainability. Mike was also an active member of the Northwest Potato Research Consortium. He enjoyed reading stacks of research proposals, evaluating which ones would directly benefit our potato growers. Though the loss of Mike leaves a void that can’t be filled, he leaves us a legacy of what giving back to the potato industry really means.

A Celebration of Life service has been scheduled for Mike on February 16, at 1pm, in Hermiston, Oregon. A lunch will be provided after the service for those that would like to continue to be among friends, remembering Mike and the impacts he made on our lives.

Celebration of Life for Mike Madsen
1pm, February 16th, 2024
Maxwell Pavilion
205 S. 1st Place
Hermiston, OR 97838