Broetje Orchards named 2009 Bruce Biggs Award winner

Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business, traveled to Eastern Washington this week to deliver the organization’s annual Bruce A. Briggs Award to Ralph and Cheryl Broetje, founders of Broetje Orchrds.

The award, named for the late Olympia nursery owner, is presented to an AWB member who continues to give back to his or her community.

The Broetjes do that and then some.

The couple started with arid land along the banks of the Snake River near Prescott and built one of the largest privately owned orchards in the world.

In the process, they also built a community complete with housing for the company’s workforce as well as a daycare and schooling for the workers’ children.

Each year, Broetje Orchards and the company’s brand—FirstFruits of Washington—donates approximately 75 percent of its profits to local, domestic and international projects. The name FirstFruits refers to a biblical festival in which people offered the first and best of their harvest to God.

“Sure, we have to make money or we’d have to shut the doors,” Cheryl Broetje said. “But profit isn’t our main motive. It becomes the byproduct of treating people with dignity, respect and mutuality, and as equals in every sense of the word.”

The award was announced May 19 at AWB’s Spring Board Meeting in Spokane, along with several other community service awards.

Brunell visted the orchards on Thursday for a special presentation. He was accompanied by AWB board members Dean and Sandi Strawn, owners of Dependable Janitorial Service in Kennewick and the 2004 recipients of the award.

“It was very meaningful for us,” Brunell said. “The Broetjes are well-deserving. They are wonderful people.”

by Jason Hagey