Name Dropper
Kristen Smith eshaya was one of the judges for the 2022 agSharks Competition, a unique event where startup companies pitched their innovations in front of a live audience of the world’s largest specialty crop producers to win a $250,000 minimum investment.
Smith eshaya is the president of Yuma-based Jv Smith Cos., which began with the formation of Skyview Cooling Company in 1970 by John Smith, Smith eshaya’s grandfather and vic Smith’s father
Smith eshaya graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Yuma High School in 2003, and then went on to graduate from Colorado College with a bachelor’s degree in economics and, later, from northern arizona university with a master’s in human relations.
She lived in Texas and California, working in finance and development for the arts, before moving back home to join the family business.
She also has been involved with industry trade associations, having formerly served on the Center for Growing Talent by Produce marketing association board of directors, as well as the Pma diversity and inclusion task force.
Smith eshaya is currently in the Western Growers Future volunteer Leaders Program, in addition to serving on the Children’s museum of Yuma County board of directors. along with her husband, emil, Smith eshaya resides in Yuma with their two children.
Western Growers and S2G ventures selected three startups to pitch their inventions to the judges in front of an audience of more than 300 fresh produce farmers and industry leaders during the WG annual meeting in Las vegas on nov.
2-5. Stuart Woolf, president and Ceo of Woolf Farming & Processing, hosted the competition.
nutjobs was picked as the winner, earning a record equity investment offer of $6 million from the event’s judges. The startup transforms nutshell waste into bio-benign plastic alternative products that are bio-based, compostable and derived from secondary agricultural waste. by transforming nutshell waste into bio-benign plastics, nutjobs creates plastic substitutes that are cost effective and environmentally sustainable.