Meet WAS Vice President, Rick Olson

I retired ten years ago.  I was an automation engineer and worked design and startups for thirty years.  High stress and pressure to make deadlines always the driving force.  Bees were a great way to decompress and regenerate after each two weeks shift of 12-14 hours days.  Gradually over the last 15 years I've gotten more and more involved not only with the bees but with fellow beekeepers in mentoring, clubs, and conferences.  I was one of the founding members of the Central Coast Beekeepers Association back in 2014 and became president a few years later.  Thought I knew bees till I joined the Oregon Master Beekeeper program.  Rose to the journey level.  I was a mentor for 10 years and have been involved with several bee clubs giving talks and demos on beekeeping i.e. packages and nuc installs, Varroa mites & treatments, equipment, best practices, seasonal management, and colony increase methods.  I am currently the north coast regional rep for the Oregon State Beekeepers Organization.  I typically have 15-20 colonies and raise a few queens each year for myself and club members.  My beekeeping goal is to maintain a sustainable apiary.