Growing Together Spring 2026

Devin Gordon retires after a successful career in ag retail

North Coast Division Manager Devin Gordon started working in agriculture when he was 10 years old. His dad was a North Coast crop duster, so he helped at the airport picking up bags and washing planes.

Although Gordon earned his pilot license as a teenager, he did not intend to follow in his dad’s footsteps. But he knew he wanted to work in agriculture. That dream resulted in an exemplary career, which ends this spring with retirement.

THE EARLY YEARS AND BUILDING A BUSINESS

After graduating from Chico State in 1984, Gordon earned his PCA license and spent four years working at local ranches, a farm supply store and ag retailers FMC and United Agri Products.

In 1988, Gordon partnered with Bill Oldham to form Ag Unlimited, an IPM consulting business. At the time, Gordon was also managing about 350 acres of vineyards for a winery. One year later, Ag Unlimited began selling organic fertilizers.

When Oldham left Ag Unlimited in 1993 to pursue farming interests, Gordon focused on growing the business. He also started acquiring his own leases and buying vineyard ground in the early 1990s.

Under Gordon’s leadership, Ag Unlimited started custom seed drilling and soil amendment services, secured the Adcon Telemetry and Agro K dealerships, constructed its first warehouse and reached $1 million in gross sales of organically certified products. He was the sole owner, but also the truck driver, warehouse manager, builder, accountant and more.

“I had to do anything and everything to make the business successful,” he said.

In 1999, grower Mike Boer joined the Ag Unlimited team and one year later Oldham rejoined (they eventually became partners with Gordon). Over the next decade, they hired employees; expanded into conventional fertilizers, plant protection products and services; opened other locations; and built another warehouse.

JOINING GROW WEST: RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PEOPLE

While Ag Unlimited had become a premier ag retail supplier in Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma and Napa counties, Gordon said it had grown into a business that carried some substantial liability. The partners ultimately decided to sell and Grow West (then Tremont/Lyman Groups Inc.) acquired it in 2008.

“The acquisition was a no-brainer,” Gordon said. “There were a lot of synergies with our companies, but all the things we were deficient in, Grow West had built-in support for. Everything was better; the insurance, the 401(k) and other benefits they provided for our employees. It fit like a glove and we didn’t miss a beat during the transition.”

Gordon said another reason for joining Grow West was because it had an in-house regulatory person who could handle a range of critical issues.

“Grow West has been such a good organization to be a part of,” he said. “Les Lyman and Johnny Council are wonderful people with good family values and a good moral compass who do the right thing for employees.

“The whole team – it’s an awesome group of people,” he added. “I don’t think we could have made a better decision for our employees. We’ve been fortunate to grow the business over the years with hard work and dedication.”

VALUABLE RELATIONSHIPS

In addition to the relationships with the Grow West team, Gordon is grateful for the special connections with grower customers and lessons he’s learned. He credits his mentor and dad with emphasizing the “it’s all about the customers” motto.

“I had a mentor who hired me at FMC and gave me the opportunity to get going in that business,” Gordon said. “He told me – and I carried this through my career – that it’s important to show genuine interest in customers. Learn their spouse’s name, their kids’ names, their favorite sports teams. Get with them on that level. Over the years, you end up naturally becoming friends. You see each other at kids’ sports events or church or other functions. You meet them through business, but you become friends through everyday life things.”

Trust and integrity were critical to building and maintaining relationships.

“A big part of Ag Unlimited’s success was that all three partners farmed,” Gordon said. “We never sold anything that we didn’t implement in our own strategies, whether it was technology, a product or IPM. So by example, customers respected that and it was easy for them to gain our trust.”

CHANGES IN AG RETAIL

Gordon has witnessed changes and advancements in ag retail throughout his career, but he cites consolidation as one of the biggest factors impacting the industry.

“When I started, there were eight distinct retailers in the North Coast with brick and mortar,” Gordon said. “Today there are two – Grow West and Wilbur Ellis. There are fewer manufacturers, retailers and customers. There’ll be fewer products in California in the future. It’s the consolidation of everything, and it’s making it very competitive and sometimes a very difficult environment to do business in.”

TRANSITION AND RETIREMENT

For the past 18 months, Gordon has been in the process of handing over the reins to his successor, Tim Johnson. He said watching the manager transition at Grow West’s Maxwell location – from Mike Griffith to Greg Kamienski – was beneficial.

“I’ve got a lot of sweat and tears in this role, so it’s been very important to me to have a successful transition and support Tim,” Gordon said.

Reflecting on his lengthy career, Gordon is proud of upholding the values of honesty, respect and work ethic.

“What I knew from early on and how I wanted to feel about my career, is that when I’m on my deathbed, I can look everybody in the face and say that I built a company that changed the demographic of a region. I didn’t lie to or cheat anybody, ever. I passed up deals because they didn’t feel right. And I feel good about all that. It’s nothing more or nothing less to me than that.”

Regarding retirement, Gordon said, “I’ve had 65 on my mind for a while, so this is the right time and I’m ready to do something different.”

He is looking forward to visiting his dad in the Northwest, spending more time with his kids and going fishing.

Grow West thanks Devin for his service and wishes him the best in retirement!