Seattle University’s Family Business Exchange is excited to present, Managing a Multigenerational Business with Julia Bringolf and Jim Jackson of Royal Bluff Orchards.

Royal Bluff Orchards was developed in 1982 with the purchase of 70 acres of undeveloped farmland. The management team acquired and planted Granny Smith apple trees, and has farmed them successfully since then. A key to their success has been the management and operations team that has worked together for almost 25 years, resulting in a well-respected and profitable orchard operation.

Join us for a fireside chat with Julia and Jim to learn about the management structure behind a multigenerational business.

About Julia Bringolf and Jim Jackson

Julia Bringolf is a two-time graduate of Seattle University.  She completed her MBA degree in 2019, and in the same year was a finalist in the Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition for Cash Butte.  She serves as Executive VP of Royal Bluff Orchards, and CEO of Cash Butte Distillery running the day-to-day operations of both companies.  

Jim Jackson received his BBA in Forest Management in 1969 from Nichols College and his MBA in Accounting in 1974 from UC San Diego. Following that, he was licensed and practiced as a CPA for 40+ years in an accounting firm that he founded in the Seattle area. He is a also Vietnam War veteran, having served as an officer in the US Navy. Along the way, he began farming apples 42 years ago as a family farmer. He and his daughter Julia are in the finale of transitioning their family farming operation to her responsibility with of his 14 grandchildren behind her to continue the business.

About the Family Business Exchange

Seattle University’s Family Business Exchange (FBX) is a community of Pacific Northwest family business owners who gather to engage in education, networking, and professional development tailored specifically to their needs.

FBX provides opportunities for families to address their unique challenges through relevant programming. It serves as a forum for information exchange with the goal of helping each member thrive through future generations. Areas of best practice that we cover include family business succession planning, governance, leadership development and growth, among others