MEDA's board in profile: Kevin Dorsing, Othello, Washington
Day job: Kevin plays a key role in his family’s fruit production company in east-central Washington State, one of the nation’s largest growers and processors of tart cherries and other fruits. He is president of Royal Ridge Fruits, which handles processing and drying. The orchard division, Dorsing Farms Inc., is run by his brother Scott.
What he likes about MEDA: What really appeals to Kevin is MEDA’s “business solutions” strategy and use of business skills to alleviate poverty around the world. “That’s a unique approach that you don’t find elsewhere,” he says. He also likes the clarity and impact of MEDA’s tight focus. “We’re not, for example, a relief organization. We recognize that’s not who we are, that’s not where our skill is.”
Most memorable MEDA experience: Kevin’s most memorable MEDA experience so far was the 2008 board meeting in New Orleans where MEDA helped small businesses recover from Hurricane Katrina. He was amazed by the devastation. “The reality hits you when you stand in an empty lot and look in all directions and see that there are no homes,” he says. “Yet it was good to see the resilience of those who were there to stay and rebuild.” He’s looking forward to seeing MEDA’s work in Ukraine when the board meets there next year.
Hobbies: “Mostly chasing kids.” He and his wife, Wanda, have three children: Alisha, 7, Trenton, 6, and Trevor, 3. “They’re at a real fun stage. I get attacked every night when I come home from work.” In winter the Dorsings take to the slopes. “I have a ball teaching the kids to snow ski. In summer we go boating and freshwater fishing, and this fall we got into salmon fishing on the Columbia River.” A highlight was catching a 40-pounder, as well as smaller salmon, as shown in the photo of Kevin and son Trenton.
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