MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025. BY STOCKTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Featured image above: Inductees Rodney and Gayla Schatz enjoying the fruits of their labor. Photo by Randy Caparoso.
2025 San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees to be Honored October 16, 2025 in Stockton
The San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame, now in its 40th year, celebrates individuals who have significantly shaped our agricultural heritage. This honor recognizes the efforts and history of those who have enriched our lives and laid the groundwork for our future. The agricultural community exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and tradition, carried forward by those who made great personal and physical sacrifices to nurture our land and community.
2025 San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees:
Kimberly Ledbetter Bronson, Vino Farms
Robert Panella Sr., Panella Trucking
Art Perry, George Perry and Sons, Inc.
Rodney & Gayla Schatz, Peltier Winery
Frank Raffel, Port Stockton Nursery (Posthumous)
The honorees will be recognized at our annual Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday, October 16th, 2025 at the Robert J. Cabral Ag Center, 2101 E. Earhart Ave, Stockton, CA. Tickets are $80 each, prepaid reservations only. For tickets and additional information visit the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce webpage, stocktonchamber.org/ag-hall-of-fame/ or call 209.547.2770.
Honoree Bios:
Kimberly Ledbetter Bronson
Vino Farms
A lifelong advocate for agriculture, Kimberly (Kim) Ledbetter Bronson has grown into one of the most respected leaders in California’s winegrape industry. Since joining Vino Farms in 1998 as the third generation of her family to take the helm, Kim has expanded her role from operations to visionary leadership, cultivating a collaborative family model alongside her brother Craig and cousins Marissa, Courtney, and Megan. Together, they have built a strong and unified team that has strengthened company culture, ensured generational continuity, and inspired women in agricultural leadership.
Under Kim’s guidance, Vino Farms has grown from farming 10,000 acres to more than 18,000 acres across California. She championed sustainable practices by introducing certified organic and biodynamic vineyards and integrating the LODI RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing into operations. Kim has also prioritized her employees by creating an innovative PPO health insurance plan for workers and their families, as well as a retirement savings program.
Kim has positioned Vino Farms at the forefront of agricultural innovation, introducing solar energy across vineyard operations, advancing the use of autonomous equipment, and implementing precision technologies to improve efficiency, sustainability, and worker safety. Her leadership reflects a balance of tradition and progress, ensuring resilience and competitiveness for the future.
‘A Rising Tide’ video series featuring Kim and the Ledbetter family by the Lodi Winegrape Commission.
Beyond her family business, Kim has dedicated her time and talents to advancing California agriculture. She served eight years as a commissioner with the Lodi Winegrape Commission, where she played a central role in creating LODI RULES, the nation’s first sustainable winegrowing certification program. She also served nine years on the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Board, becoming its first woman chair—a milestone that continues to inspire women in agriculture.
Locally, she founded Farm Safety Day through the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, training more than 600 agricultural workers annually, and has strongly supported AgSafe programs for vineyard employees. Her service extends deeply into her community as well. She has been actively involved with Lodi House, St. John’s Church, Lodi Memorial Hospital, and the Boys and Girls Club of Lodi. In 2017, she helped establish Lodi High School’s 501(c)(3) football foundation, which she led for several years, raising more than $100,000 to directly support athletes, equipment, and programs. Through her vision, generosity, and dedication, Kim Ledbetter Bronson has not only advanced sustainable farming and business growth but has also uplifted her employees, her community, and the agricultural industry as a whole.
Robert Panella Sr.
Panella Trucking
Agriculture has been at the center of Robert Panella Sr.’s life since childhood. His family’s trucking legacy began in 1934 when his father, Ralph Panella, and cousin purchased a two-ton Chevrolet flatbed to haul sugar beets for Spreckels’s Sugar. Over the years, Panella Trucking expanded into hauling a wide range of crops, while Ralph also nurtured a farming operation. Robert joined the business in 1955, first as a driver and later managing operations, working closely with his father until Ralph’s passing in 1980. Carrying forward both the farming and trucking traditions, Robert takes pride in honoring his father’s legacy, who was inducted into the Ag Hall of Fame in 1997.
Under Robert’s leadership, Panella Trucking has grown from 50 trucks to a fleet of more than 300 trucks and over 1,000 trailers. They continue to be a leader in the state, hauling crops such as tomatoes, walnuts, carrots, onions, garlic, cherries, tomatoes, grapes, peppers, and almonds. Robert has secured countless hauling contracts over the years, establishing a reputation for reliability, precision, and pride in workmanship. Alongside trucking, Robert manages 750 acres of farmland, including 450 acres of walnut orchards that produce 1,500 to 2,000 tons annually, a walnut dryer that also serves neighboring growers, 150 acres of cherries, and 100 acres of vineyards tied to the family’s Oak Farm Vineyards, now operated by his son Dan.
Robert’s career is also marked by innovation. He was instrumental in introducing shuttle trucks to canneries in 1974, a change that revolutionized efficiency across the industry. He pioneered double-manning trucks to improve long-haul tomato transport from the desert and began designing and building lighter, stronger trailers in the 1970s, an innovation still benefiting the company today.
Beyond business, Robert has given generously to agriculture and his community. He has been active in the California Trucking Association, San Joaquin Farm Bureau, Lodi Winegrape Commission, and Lodi District Grape Growers. He has mentored countless peers in ag trucking, sharing knowledge built over decades. Outside of agriculture, Robert is well known for his pioneering role in drag racing, where his cars set national records and earned him the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. His passion for racing has passed down to his children and grandchildren, who now compete at Delta Speedway in Stockton.
Bob Panella Sr.’s iconic 1951 Ford Anglia drag racing car. Photo source: Oak Farm Vineyards website.
Charitable at heart, Robert has supported hospitals, youth in agriculture, local charities, and community causes—often quietly and without recognition. Through hard work, innovation, and generosity, Robert Panella Sr. has built a legacy of leadership in agriculture, transportation, and community service that continues to inspire future generations.
Art Perry
George Perry and Sons, Inc.
Born in 1944 to George and Violet Perry, Art Perry has lived his entire life in Manteca, where his passion for agriculture began at a very young age. A graduate of Manteca High School in 1962, he was active in Future Farmers of America before attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. There, he majored in dairy science, served as Agriculture Council President, Vice President of the Alpha Zeta Honor Agriculture Fraternity, and competed nationally on the dairy judging team.
Though he initially pursued teaching, Art’s love for farming and family brought him back to the family operation, which grew into George Perry and Sons, Inc. In the mid-1960s, the family expanded the family business by selling watermelons and pumpkins from local growers. Alongside his brother, George Jr., Art helped expand the business into a year-round produce marketing company. Today, under the fourth generation of Perrys, George Perry and Sons ships more than 1,000 loads of watermelons and 1,000 loads of pumpkins each year, sourcing from growers across Mexico and California.
George Perry Sr. (left) and son Art Perry (right) with their watermelons. Photo source: theproducenews.com.
Art has been instrumental in building strong grower relationships, financing local watermelon fields, creating jobs for migrant workers, and donating generously to community organizations. Art has also been a pioneer in agricultural innovation. He was instrumental in developing higher quality and sizing standards for watermelons and pumpkins that are now used nationwide. He introduced new varieties, adopted drip irrigation, and advanced harvesting techniques, ensuring both higher quality and greater efficiency. His leadership in seed trials has provided critical insight for the industry, and his consulting with growers and shippers across the West Coast continues to shape the future of farming produce.
Beyond business, Art has been a dedicated leader in agriculture. He has been a Farm Bureau member for more than 50 years, served on the San Joaquin County Fair Board, and is a lifetime board member of the National Watermelon Association. Locally, he was instrumental in starting the first Manteca Pumpkin Fair in 1974, which has become a celebrated community tradition.
Art’s community contributions reflect his deep faith and commitment to service. He has been active in St. Anthony’s Church, the F.E.S.M. Portuguese Association, the Boys and Girls Club of Manteca, and many civic organizations. His company was named Manteca Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year in 1997, and he was inducted into the Manteca Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame in 2005.
As George Perry and Sons approach its 100th anniversary in 2025, Art’s vision, generosity, and faith remain central to the family’s legacy. He is a man who loves God, his family, his community, and agriculture, embodying the very spirit of farming in both heart and soul.
Rodney & Gayla Schatz
Peltier Winery
Rodney and Gayla Schatz are a remarkable husband-and-wife team whose leadership, innovation, and devotion to family and community have made a lasting impact on San Joaquin County agriculture. Together, they have grown a thriving vineyard and winery operation while championing sustainable practices, industry advancement, and community service.
Rodney Schatz was born in Lodi, California, and raised in a multigenerational farming family. After graduating from Lodi High School, he attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he majored in Crop Science. In 1985, shortly after college, Rodney and his wife Gayla purchased 40 acres of Old Vine Zinfandel in Acampo, land that became both their home and the foundation of their vineyard and winery. Rodney’s instinct for farming, paired with Gayla’s financial expertise and warm hospitality, proved to be the perfect partnership for building a lasting legacy.
Gayla and Rodney Schatz. Photo source: Lodi Winegrape Commission.
In the early years, Rodney built a strong reputation for growing exceptional fruit, managing crews, and expanding custom harvest operations. When a surplus left grapes unsold, the Schatzes turned a challenge into an opportunity, building their own custom crush facility in 2001. From this vision, Peltier Station Winery was born, honoring the railroad history of Lodi and setting the stage for future success. Today, under the simplified “Peltier” label, their wines have earned Double Gold medals, Best of Class honors, and 90+ point ratings, establishing them as leaders in quality and innovation.
The Schatz’s now farm more than 1,000 acres, produce 30,000 cases of wine annually, and operate a custom crush facility that serves the broader wine community. Their children, Faryn and Hadyn, are deeply involved in the business, ensuring the continuation of the family tradition. Always forward-thinking, Rodney and Gayla have been pioneers in sustainability and technology. They introduced innovations such as taller milk cartons for vine protection, drip irrigation practices, solar energy systems, and a groundbreaking worm farm wastewater treatment system. All of their vineyards are certified to be sustainable under the LODI RULES program, demonstrating their commitment to stewardship of the land.
Beyond their vineyard, Rodney and Gayla have given decades of leadership to the industry. Rodney served as Chairman of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, helped form the Lodi Winegrape Commission, and served on numerous boards advancing California’s wine reputation. Their contributions to the community are just as notable, with long-time support of the Children’s Home of Stockton, American Cancer Society, St. Mary’s Sports Association, and the Lodi Chamber of Commerce. Through vision, innovation, and generosity, Rodney and Gayla Schatz have not only built a successful business but also strengthened agriculture and community life in San Joaquin County for generations to come.
Frank Raffel
Port Stockton Nursery (Posthumous)
Frank Cyril Raffel (1899–1997) was a pioneering nurseryman, visionary rosarian, and lifelong advocate for the beauty and vitality of plants. As the founder of Port Stockton Nursery and the creator of dozens of rose varieties recognized around the world, Raffel left a legacy that shaped both Stockton’s agricultural history and its cultural landscape. Born in Louisiana in 1899, Raffel moved to Reedley in 1906, later living in Modesto before settling in Stockton in 1926. He gained experience as a foreman at a Linden nursery before founding Port Stockton Nursery in 1929.
From the moment he opened the nursery on East Main Street, Raffel devoted his life to the land, living on the grounds for nearly 70 years and building a business that continues to thrive today. Raffel’s expertise and innovation set him apart. He developed an impressive 40 rose varieties, including the internationally recognized Banner, Stockton Beauty, California Favorite, Treasure Island, and Gertrude Raffel, which he named for his wife. Among his most famous creations was Sweet Vivien, a highly rated white rose with pink edges beloved for its rare ability to bloom in the shade. His roses earned national and international recognition, and many remain popular in gardens today.
Beyond hybridization, Raffel also pioneered a method of budding roses in a single year instead of two, a significant advancement for the industry. His nursery catalogs, distributed nationwide, brought color, beauty, and hope to homes even during the difficult years surrounding World War II. These catalogs, along with the reputation of his roses, placed Stockton on the horticultural map and cemented Raffel’s standing as a gifted businessman and plant innovator.
Though he retired in 1949 and brought in partners to continue the business, Raffel remained a daily presence at the nursery. He was remembered as a man of humility and integrity, often greeting customers in his overalls, offering gardening advice, and tending his plants well into his later years. Friends described him as modest yet deeply knowledgeable, able to answer any question about plants “off the top of his head.” Frank Raffel passed away in 1997 at the age of 97, leaving behind a garden, and a city, enriched by his life’s work. His roses continue to bloom as a living testament to his passion, ingenuity, and dedication. Stockton’s Port Stockton Nursery, the business he founded, remains a cornerstone of the community and a reminder of his enduring contributions to agriculture and beauty alike.
About the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
Founded on February 21, 1901, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce speaks for thousands of local businesspeople. For these 124 years, the Chamber has been the authoritative voice in all business matters throughout the Central Valley. The mission of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce is to aggressively develop and promote an economically vibrant business community. stocktonchamber.org
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