The National Potato Council represents the interests of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental and trade issues. The annual farm gate value of U.S. potato production is over $4.5 billion, delivering more than $100.9 billion in U.S. economic activity throughout the potato supply chain. The industry supports more than 714,000 American workers, both directly and indirectly. Learn more at nationalpotatocouncil.org.
TED TSCHIRKY
Tschirky Farms, Pasco, Washington
President, National Potato Council
Previously serving as the National Potato Council’s (NPC) First Vice President and Vice President of Trade Affairs, Ted Tschirky has been actively involved in state and national potato associations for more than 20 years. A third-generation farmer in Washington’s Columbia River basin, Tschirky served on the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) prior to joining NPC in a leadership role. During his involvement with WSPC, he traveled to D.C. often to advocate on behalf of the state’s potato industry and saw the impact NPC was having not only on a national level but with international trade as well. He also learned how important establishing solid relationships with state and federal representatives was for the overall wealth and health of the industry.
“As this year’s council president, I want to encourage our executive committee and board members to get involved with their state representatives as much as possible,” Tschirky said, “which, in turn, helps build stronger relationships on the federal level. When it comes to policies affecting agriculture, it should be our goal for elected officials to come to us and ask how these rules and regulations would affect our business. It takes time to get to this point, so let’s make it a commitment to get there at all levels.”
At age 18, Tschirky’s first “official” farming project was with Future Farmers of America growing potatoes for Lamb Weston. For nearly 45 years, he’s carried on his family’s legacy which started with great-grandparents migrating from Switzerland and originally settling in Oregon. His father began the Washington Tschirky Farms in the 1950s. The business now grows mostly potatoes for processing and includes a storage facility.
Today, his wife Merideth “Meri” and his sons Tyler and Dylan joined him in overseeing the business. In 2025, Ted and Meri are celebrating 42 years of marriage.
Kam Quarles, Chief Executive Officer, National Potato Council
Kam Quarles is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Potato Council. He assumed this role in May of 2019 after serving as Vice President of Public Policy and Communications.
Since taking on the job of running the U.S. potato industry’s national trade association, Kam has overseen a comprehensive overhaul of the organization and its activities. These include building a strong team of professional staff and consultants, rebranding the organization and its signature Potato Expo, coordinating the largest disaster relief response in the industry’s history, securing significant victories in the long-standing Mexican trade dispute, and supporting a new multimillion-dollar foundation dedicated to industry leadership.
As a national leader in the fruit and vegetable industry, Kam serves as co-chairman of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, and as a member of the USDA/USTR Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee.
Prior to joining the Council staff, Kam worked for the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery with clients including NPC, the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Sunkist Growers, Chiquita Brands International, the California Avocado Commission and other specialty crop interests.
He served as a vice president for both the United Fresh Produce Association and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the managing director of the D.C. office for Sunkist Growers, the world’s largest citrus marketing organization. Kam was also a staff member in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Kam holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University in Virginia.
He and his wife Karen live on Capitol Hill. Their daughter Cate is a freshman in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.
