Stockton, CA – San Joaquin farmers, agricultural leaders, and community members gathered for the 40th Annual San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame Dinner, hosted by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the Robert J. Cabral Agricultural Center in Stockton.
State Representative Rhodesia Ransom, a proud member of the State’s Agriculture Committee, joined Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce CEO Timm Quinn in celebrating this year’s honorees. Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom presented certificates from the California State Assembly recognizing their lifetime of hard work, leadership, and contributions to San Joaquin County’s strong farming community.
“San Joaquin County is the heart of California’s agricultural success. The crops, wine, and produce grown here reach tables around the world. The dedication of these honorees, along with the countless men and women who work our fields and farms, is a driving force behind California’s strength as the world’s fourth-largest economy.”
-Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom
2025 San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame Honorees
Kimberly Ledbetter Bronson, Vino Farms
Kimberly (Kim) Ledbetter Bronson is a respected leader in California’s winegrape industry and a strong advocate for sustainability in agriculture. Since joining Vino Farms in 1998, she has carried forward her family’s legacy as the third generation to help lead the business. Working alongside her brother Craig and cousins Marissa, Courtney, and Megan, Kim has strengthened company culture and promoted generational continuity while inspiring more women to take leadership roles in agriculture. Under her leadership, Vino Farms has grown from 10,000 acres to more than 18,000 acres across California. She has championed environmentally conscious practices, introducing certified organic and biodynamic vineyards and integrating the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing into company operations. Kim’s commitment to collaboration and innovation continues to make Vino Farms a model for the future of California’s wine industry.
Robert Panella Sr., Panella Trucking
For Robert Panella Sr., agriculture has been a way of life since childhood. His family’s trucking legacy began in 1934 when his father, Ralph Panella, and cousin bought a two-ton Chevrolet flatbed to haul sugar beets for Spreckels Sugar. Over the years, Panella Trucking expanded its services to transport a wide range of crops across California. Robert joined the business in 1955, starting as a driver before moving into management alongside his father. When Ralph passed away in 1980, Robert continued to grow both the trucking and farming sides of the family operation. Under his leadership, Panella Trucking grew from a small fleet of 50 trucks to more than 300 trucks and over 1,000 trailers, becoming one of the largest agricultural trucking operations in the region. Robert’s hard work and dedication honor his father’s legacy, who was also inducted into the Ag Hall of Fame in 1997.
Art Perry, George Perry and Sons, Inc.
Born and raised in Manteca, Art Perry has devoted his life to agriculture and his community. The son of George and Violet Perry, Art’s passion for farming began at an early age. A graduate of Manteca High School, he was active in Future Farmers of America before attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Although he initially planned to teach, his love for farming brought him back to the family business, George Perry and Sons, Inc. In the mid-1960s, the family began expanding the business by selling watermelons and pumpkins from local growers. Working alongside his brother George Jr., Art helped grow the company into a year-round produce marketing operation. Today, under the leadership of the fourth generation of Perrys, George Perry and Sons ships over 1,000 loads of watermelons and 1,000 loads of pumpkins each year from growers across California and Mexico. Art’s dedication to hard work, family, and community has made a lasting impact on Manteca’s agricultural economy.
Rodney & Gayla Schatz, Peltier Winery
Rodney and Gayla Schatz are a husband-and-wife team whose leadership and innovation have shaped the future of Lodi’s wine industry. Rodney, a Lodi native from a multi-generational farming family, studied Crop Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before returning home to pursue his passion for farming. In 1985, shortly after college, Rodney and Gayla purchased 40 acres of Old Vine Zinfandel in Acampo, which became both their home and the foundation for what would become Peltier Winery. Rodney’s hands-on farming expertise and Gayla’s strong business sense helped them build a thriving vineyard and winery known for quality, sustainability, and innovation. Their shared commitment to family, community involvement, and environmentally responsible practices has helped position Peltier Winery as a leader in the Lodi wine region and an example of what family-driven agriculture can achieve.
Frank Raffel, Port Stockton Nursery (Posthumous)
Frank Cyril Raffel (1899–1997) was a pioneering nurseryman, master rosarian, and visionary entrepreneur who left an enduring mark on Stockton’s agricultural and cultural history. Born in Louisiana, Raffel moved to California as a child and settled in Stockton in 1926. After gaining experience at a local nursery in Linden, he opened Port Stockton Nursery in 1929 on East Main Street. For nearly 70 years, Raffel lived and worked on the nursery grounds, dedicating his life to cultivating beauty and innovation through plants. He developed more than 40 varieties of roses, including internationally recognized favorites such as Banner, Stockton Beauty, California Favorite, Treasure Island, and Gertrude Raffel, which he named after his wife. His most famous rose, Sweet Vivien, is known for its delicate white petals with pink edges and rare ability to bloom in shade. Raffel’s lifelong passion for horticulture helped shape Stockton’s identity and inspired generations of gardeners and growers.
The San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame, created by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on the county’s farming heritage and helped make San Joaquin County one of California’s leading agricultural centers.
