Bruce Usrey, former CEO of Monrovia, died July 7 at his home in Dayton, Ore. He was 76 years old.
For nearly fifty years, Usrey guided the growth and expansion of Monrovia, a U.S. container grower. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he joined Monrovia in 1968 and managed plant production. From 1986 to 1998, he was COO, overseeing the company’s expansion of new growing locations in Dayton, Ore., and Visalia, Calif., In 1998, Bruce was named president and later, in 2002, CEO. Under his leadership Monrovia grew with its merger with Wight and Berryhill Nurseries, adding three East Coast growing fields to Monrovia’s production. In recent years, Bruce served as a managing director of the company and was based in Dayton, Ore.
“Bruce was a true horticultural craftsman,” says Miles Rosedale, CEO of Monrovia. “He will be greatly missed.”
Usrey is survived by his wife, Susie, who also has worked for Monrovia for nearly 40 years.
