Jake Fray Named NABC SW Washington Regional Director

Last week, the Northwest Agriculture Business Center announced Jake Fray as the new Southwest Washington regional director.  Fray takes over for Mike Peroni who is transitioning to Executive Director of the organization.  

Fray grew up in the small community of Adna, where his family settled in 1862.  Not only did he work on the family cow/calf operation growing up, he worked high school summers at National Frozen Foods in Chehalis. 

Fray attended Centralia College to pursue an Associate in Technical Arts degree in Diesel Technology, and completed his BS in Diesel from Montana State University – Northern.  He then spent the next several years working on freight trucks, forestry equipment, agriculture equipment, mining equipment and construction equipment in Southwest Washington.

In 2005, while working swing shift as truck and heavy equipment mechanic, Jake served on the Industry Based Advisory Board for Centralia College's Diesel Technology program. This led to a part-time day job teaching diesel technology at Centralia College, and later a full-time position as a professor at Centralia College in 2008.

Jake led the department for almost a decade, making it one of the most successful degrees offered by Centralia College, and in 2014 launched a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Diesel Technology at Centralia College. This program became the fourth such program in the country, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Jake became the Associate Dean of Bachelor and Workforce Education Programs in 2017.

Fray completed his Master of Science in Management and Leadership degree from Western Governor's University in the spring of 2018, and in July of 2018 became Dean of Instruction for the Healthcare and Industrial Trades programs. Fray led faculty in the development of an Industrial Trades Pathway that paved the way for student to enter into a variety of Career and Technical Education programs.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com