Logan Janin

Director of business operations

Taggares Fruit Company

Age: 31

Current city of residence: Kennewick

Briefly describe your company:

Taggares Fruit is a 2,500-acre orchard located in Burbank. We mainly grow apples but also cherries and wine grapes. We are private equity-owned but operated by the family that started the business. We are a precision farming group that utilizes technology across all facets of the business to drive efficiencies, while also keeping a close focus on being stewards of the land and people of our community.

How long have you worked there?

9.5 years

Briefly describe your job and what you do. Tell us how you got into it.

I manage productivity and cost performance for a workforce of up to 650 employees during peak harvest. I establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and collaborate with leadership to optimize efficiency across all functions. I oversee the development of the annual operating budget, leveraging labor and expense data to guide decision-making. I also lead technology initiatives, identifying and implementing tools that enhance tracking, reporting and overall business performance. In addition to this, I am lead of our company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) group that focuses on reducing carbon emissions.

Tell us about your work history.

My entire professional work history has been at Taggares Fruit Company. I started working here before I graduated college, trying to balance a full-time job while also being a student. When I first started, I was working as a data analyst, mainly working on data entry and creating product application reports. From there I was promoted to operations analyst, where I implemented a time and productivity tracking software and dealt with reporting functions. I was then promoted to business systems manager where I was key in implementing a full farm management software that took all avenues of the business and brought them into one location. Then this last December, I was promoted to director of business operations.

Tell us about your first job.

My first job was working for my dad. My dad owned a painting business so I did all of the back-breaking work: unloading the truck, masking the site, setting up scaffolding. Really, I did whatever jobs my dad didn’t want to do.

What advice would you give to your younger self about achieving success?

Stay true to yourself, find something you are passionate about and find a way to make it work, that way work won’t feel so much like work.

What was your dream job as a child?

Professional baseball player

Who are your role models – and why? Tell us what you learned from them. What do you consider your leadership style to be?

My parents and my brother. My parents were very resilient. My dad was working manual labor jobs most of my life until he eventually was able to purchase and operate his own business, showing me that hard work really does pay off. My mom worked full time, as well, while still making sure that our house felt like a home. My parents never missed one of my brother’s or my baseball games, teaching me that you show up for your family and friends no matter what. My brother is another role model of mine. We are opposite personalities, so I try my best to learn from him in areas that he is more strongly suited, such as, not being afraid of how he is viewed from the outside.

I have adopted more of a situational leadership style. I focus on keeping my team involved and bought in, trying to show them what is it in for them. I ask opinions and lead brainstorming sessions, but of course, there are times when I need to step up and make a clear cut decision as well.

Tell us about your community involvement/community service:

Every year I spend time volunteering time to a local group. In the past I have volunteered for Educational Service District 123 by adopting a family for Christmas and getting the whole family Christmas gifts, as well as spending time stuffing gift boxes of food and snacks for the families of the community. I have also volunteered at 2nd Harvest, filling boxes of fruit that were going to be taken to local families. Also, I recently spent the day cleaning up the local baseball field in preparation for the season starting.

In addition to this, I was elected to be the treasurer of my local homeowners association. In this role I am involved in the budgeting process, as well as involved in all community meetings and vote on community guidelines and decisions.

And, I was just selected to be a city of Kennewick Parks & Recreation commissioner.

List any awards/honors you have received.

2019, Young Apple Leaders, U.S. Apple Association

 2025, Fruit + Vegetables 40 under Forty award, Fruit Growers News

What else should we know about you?

I am a lifelong Tri-City native. I went to Columbia Basin College and graduated from Washington State University. I am involved in a business that feeds the community and provides jobs to many members of the community. I love this region of America and want to do whatever I can to make this a better place to thrive.

How do you achieve work-life balance?

This is something that I have struggled with in the past and am still working on the balance. I have found that setting strict guidelines with coworkers helps establish that boundary, but sometimes you just have to turn off your phone.

Do you have family? Pets? Tell us about them.

I am married to my beautiful wife who is a fourth-grade teacher in Kennewick. I also have two cats, Captain Jack Sparrow and Dracula. I just recently got a dog, Frankenstein. He is very high energy, but very entertaining. The cats are still trying to learn to love their new brother.

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities?

I was born and raised here, so 31 years. The only time I left was to go to college and then I moved right back.

What’s your dream vacation?

Italy

Planner or procrastinator?

BOTH

First car?

Mercury Cougar

Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert

Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities?

Golf

What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

I love to go to trivia night.

Favorite Tri-City restaurant?

Dovetail Joint

Favorite day of the week?

Saturday

Text, email, phone call?

Text

Would you rather travel back in time or to the future?

Back in time