Civic Effort Earns Kudos For Salinas Grower-Shipper        
"The Packer" By Todd Foltz Western Editor. November 4, 2002

SALINAS, Calif. – Six weeks out of the U.S. Army, Basil Mills turned up in the Salinas Valley at the end of April 1953 and began his produce career.

Mills was 4 1/2 years away from starting Mills Family Farms, which has become one of the largest grower-shipper and marketing companies in the valley. He was years away from helping found the Western Growers Association Charitable Trust and the National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, and from serving a number of produce industry and community association boards.

But this devotion to God, family and community was already there. In November, just shy of 50 years after Mills took up residence in Salinas, Western Growers will present him with its Award of Honor for all he’s done for his community and the produce industry.

"I’m overwhelmed," Mills said. "It’s been a pleasure living and working here, and I’ve always tried to give back to the community." Western Growers will present the award at its 77th annual meeting, which will take place Nov 10-13 in La Quinta, Calif.

A.G. Kawamura, chairman of Western Growers, said Mills has inspired association members for decades.

"He exemplifies what a agriculturalist should me in our society." Kawamura said. "He’s a successful businessman willing to give back to the community and willing to step forward to represent the industry. That combination is so needed these days."

Mills, a long time member, and past chairman of Western Growers, served on the association’s board of directors from 1985 to 2001.

He also is the past chairman of Grower-Shipper Vegetable Association of Central California, past president of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, a member and pas president of Salinas Rotary Club and past board member of the Center for Community Advocacy, Food Crops Inc. and Friends of the Monterey County Fair.

He also is president of the Steinbeck Center and a member of the advisory boards of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation’s First Tee, the Salvation Army Salinas Corps, Legal Services for Seniors and the Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries.

The United Way of Salinas Valley named Mills and his wife, Eve, Volunteers of the Year in 1996. The same year, they were named philanthropists of the Year by the Development Executives Network and the National Society of Fund-raising Executives Monterey Bay Chapter.

Mills also is chairman of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, part of the United Way of Monterey County.