Kathy Davis, Communications
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| Tim Schultz |
Tim’s final gig for the past two years has been manager of the Pesticide Management Division’s Compliance Program. He started his career at WSDA in 1989 as a pesticide compliance field inspector, and has held various positions within the pesticide area since then.
Before joining WSDA, Tim was coordinator of the Adams County Noxious Weed Control Board. He spent six years on the State Weed Association’s board of directors, including terms as president and vice president.
Ag in his blood
While with the weed board, contacts at WSDA recruited him to interview for the field investigator position.
“Having been a fourth-generation farm kid, agriculture is in my blood,” Tim said. “I wanted to work in agriculture, and saw working in WSDA as an opportunity to expand my career.”
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| Working for the Adams County Weed Board, 1986 |
From 1993 through 2022, Tim has been involved in creating Pesticide Management Division branch offices in Wenatchee, Spokane, Moses Lake, and Bellingham. A Tri-Cities office is slated to open this year.
Some of the most rewarding work of his career has been solving complaints during case investigations, and helping farmers and businesses improve compliance with state laws and rules. He’s also enjoyed sharing new information during winter presentations to growers.
“No two days are the same. One day you are involved with apples. The next day, it is a termite problem,” he reflected.
From baker to scuba diver; varied interests
Outside of his WSDA work, Tim has a colorful history and many varied interests.
For instance, in high school he worked as a baker, starting each day at 5 a.m. before heading to class. Also as a young man, he bought a combine and did custom harvesting for four years.
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| Young Tim, the baker, in 1974 |
And did you know Tim’s family on his mother’s side started the lentil industry in Washington?
He’s been a certified scuba diver, helping map the ocean floor off Rosario Beach in 1978, and has traveled to Europe, China and Vietnam. He’s also an avid photographer and helps with his wife’s catering business.
Not surprisingly, Tim has ambitious plans for his post-WSDA life. He wants to visit Hawaii regularly (his “happy spot”), as well as travel in the lower 48 states. He’ll work on family genealogy and lots of home repair and gardening projects.
He also looks forward to having more time to tinker on his 1946 Chevy truck and 1960 Chevy Cheyenne pickup.
We know you will stay busy, Tim, and wish you lots of interesting adventures. Thanks for your dedicated service and important contributions to Washington agriculture!
In summary: As a self-described “farm kid,” Tim Schultz is known for reminiscing about his rural roots in Eastern Washington. As a public employee dedicated to serving the state’s agriculture industry for more than 30 years, Tim is about to begin a new chapter in his life when he retires from WSDA on Oct. 1. Read more about Tim in the latest Insider blog post.
