County of Monterey Board of Supervisors Appoints Juan Hidalgo as New Agricultural Commissioner; Board of Supervisors Completed a Nationwide Search for a Successor to Current County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales

 

The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors announced on Tuesday, December 13 that Juan Hidalgo has been appointed as the new Agricultural Commissioner for the County. A seasoned Agricultural

Commissioner, Juan Hidalgo will succeed outgoing Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales

and assume responsibilities on February 6, 2023. Outgoing Agricultural Commissioner Henry

Gonzales announced his retirement from the County earlier this year.

Mr. Hidalgo is a resident of Monterey County and the current Agricultural Commissioner/

Sealer of Weights and Measures/ Director of Mosquito and Vector Control with the County of

Santa Cruz. He has served in this capacity for more than six years. As part of his tenure with the

County of Santa Cruz, he has had the opportunity to effectively use his skills and expertise to

support and work with growers for continued success in a highly regulated industry.

Mr. Hidalgo graduated from the University of California Davis with a Bachelor of Science Degree

in Animal Science in 2000.

The selection of Mr. Hidalgo caps a nationwide search process facilitated Avery Associates, a

national executive search firm which specializes in placing executives at the nation's various

governmental agencies. A large initial prospect pool was narrowed by stages to a group who

interviewed with a group of community stakeholders in the agricultural industry, then to a final

selection interview with the Board of Supervisors.

“Both the community stakeholder group and the Board of Supervisors found Mr. Hidalgo to be

the most suited candidate for the position of Agricultural Commissioner for the County of

Monterey,” says Chair-Supervisor Mary Adams, District 5. “Not only is Mr. Hidalgo the right fit

for the job, but he is also a Monterey County resident and is thrilled to be working in his home

community.”

Mr. Hidalgo is a natural collaborator, is approachable and an open-minded partner with good

listening skills. His experience as a department head, diverse administrative responsibilities and

positive leadership, have earned him the respect and trust of many local agricultural industry

leaders. It is worth noting that Mr. Hidalgo is bilingual as he is fluent is Spanish.

“We are pleased to be able to bring someone of Juan Hidalgo’s caliber to Monterey County and

look forward to his leadership,” says Supervisor Chris Lopez, District 3. “I appreciate he can hit

the ground running thanks to his experience collaborating with county and State agencies on

emerging issues impacting agriculture and understanding the importance of communicating

with community members.”

About the County of Monterey

Established in 1850, Monterey County was one of the original counties of California at the time

of statehood. The County derived its name from the Monterey Bay, which as named by

Sebastian Vizcaino in 1602 in honor of Gaspar de Zuniga y Acevedo, Conde de Monterrey. The

County’s population is over 447,300 and has an operating budget of over $1.7 billion. Monterey

County’s economy is primarily based on agriculture in the Salinas Valley and tourism in the

coastal regions. The County is comprised of 3,771 square miles and includes 12 incorporated

cities and 16 unincorporated areas, of which Salinas, the County seat, is the largest

municipality.

The Mission of Monterey County is to Excel at providing Quality Services for the benefit of all

Monterey County residents while developing, maintaining, and enhancing the resources of the

area.