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6 | CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE 7 | CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE

CEO & Owner (Produce Company)

SALARY: EXPERIENCE: GRANT KITAMURA
$150,000 - $250,000 “In my business product knowledge is very important, as well as a good › Baker and Murakami
Produce Co., LLLP
overall understanding of the industry. One should be well-versed in
financial and managerial accounting.”

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Grant oversees all department heads, including procurement, storage, packing,
shipping and the business office. He coordinates department efforts, studies the costs
of production and oversees volume. Each of his department managers is very capable
of efficiently running their daily functions. Grant’s main job is to provide leadership so
that each department is working with the others to create an overall profitable return on
the total investment of the company. Grant also has several partners in the ownership of
Baker and Murakami, and they are responsible for production, scheduling, marketing
and transportation. All owners share in the responsibility of capital budgeting and
annual planning.

Purchased the company in 2002
after Sig passed away. Merged with
Baker Packing Inc. in 2017 to form
Baker & Murakami Produce Co.
“ I get a tremendous amount Became a partner and General

FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB
Manager after eight years with
Murakami Produce Company
of satisfaction with successful
decisions; they are worth more
Sig Murakami, in the
than the profits that may result. Worked for family friend,
onion business
ADVICE
If someone is interested in
the produce business I would
Transferred from TVCC to
suggest that they learn all Oregon State University and
graduated with a bachelor’s in
its season, the pros and cons business adminstration
Worked in
of its health benefits and the Portland for
trends of consumption. an insurance
Graduated from Ontario High business for two
School, attended Treasure years before
Valley Community College moving back to
they can about the product, “
(TVCC) Malheur County
to farm

Family roots in the Pacific
Northwest and agriculture date
back almost 100 years