For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Jonasson
(559) 241-6233
Westlands Water District Elects Five Board Members
Fresno, CA – Westlands Water District (District) board certified the election for five members to the District’s Board of Directors. Directors William Bourdeau, Jeff Fortune, Frank Coelho, and Jim Anderson were reelected, and Ryan Ferguson rejoined the board as a newly-elected member. Each will serve a four-year term, alongside the current four members to complete the nine-member Board of Directors.
“The re-election of these highly qualified and experienced individuals reflects our grower’s commitment to continue the District’s legacy of leadership and innovation as we continue to navigate the important challenges and exciting opportunities ahead. The work before us is vital for the future of the hundreds of family farms and thousands of community members who rely on Westlands Water District. We are committed to rolling up our sleeves, collaborating closely, and making thoughtful, forward-looking decisions to ensure that the San Joaquin Valley can continue to feed the nation,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District.
The Westlands Water District Board of Directors is composed of nine members, each of whom is either a District landowner or designated legal representative of a landowner. The Board manages the District’s business and affairs.
Board Member Biographies
Willian Bourdeau: William Bourdeau is fourth-generation member of a family from the Westside of California’s San Joaquin Valley and the Founder and CEO of Bourdeau Farms based in Coalinga. Mr. Bourdeau also oversees operations across 25,000 acres in Coalinga, Sanger, and Lodi, helping to lead one of the Valley’s most agriculturally diverse companies in his role as Executive Vice President of Harris Farms.
Jeff Fortune: A UC Davis graduate, third-generation California farmer, and second-generation Westlands farmer, Jeff Fortune brings extensive hands-on farming experience to the District’s Board, where he has served as Board President since December 2022. A “boots on the ground” farmer, Mr. Fortune, along with his wife Mitzi, began farming in Westlands in 1978, currently cultivating tomatoes, almonds, and pistachios.
Frank Coelho: Alongside his family, Frank Coelho works as a third-generation farmer in the Five Points region of the District. Serving on the District’s Board since 1991, Mr. Coelho remains dedicated to supporting family farms like his own, where they cultivate a variety of crops including processing tomatoes, pistachios, wine grapes, almonds, cotton, garlic, and garbanzo beans.
Jim Anderson: A fifth-generation Westlands Water District farmer, Jim Anderson has proudly represented local farmers on the Board since 2013. Mr. Anderson and his wife Elizabeth grow a range of crops including garlic, wheat, almonds, and pistachios—adjusting as needed based on water availability.
Ryan Ferguson: Ryan Ferguson has farmed in Westlands Water District with his family for more than 20 years. Previously serving as Board President from April 2021 to December 2022, Mr. Ferguson helped lead the development and adoption of the District’s groundwater sustainability plan and the groundwater banking program. Mr. Ferguson and his father grow almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, onions and cotton on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in the District.
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About Westlands Water District
Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than five decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation, and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.