Gerry W. Veley Resume
Email: gwveley@hotmail.com
PO Box 116
503-324-8062
Banks, OR 97106
USA
OVERVIEW
Gerry Veley has a background in beekeeping for more than 18 years. His activities include not only honey production and pollination services, but also the development of a variety of creamed honey products, sold both domestically and in Japan. In addition, Mr. Veley specializes in the production of comb honey products. He founded and is operating Oregon Pure Honey Company.
Gerry Veley has been actively engaged in Asian-style beekeeping in Laos for over 8 years. He founded Lao Jungle Honey Co., Ltd and produces certified pesticide-free honey for sale in a variety of outlets in Laos. Mr. Veley trained in Thailand to learn how to manage bee diseases without the use of medications or any chemicals.
Gerry Veley also functions as a beekeeping consultant, assisting aid organizations and the Lao government in projects for the improvement of village income and nutrition.
EXPERIENCE and SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS:
Currently
Gerry Veley most recently completed a voluntary beekeeping consultancy in Bangladesh managed by Winrock International USAID’s Farmer to Farmer Program. The consultancy period was from December 2nd to December 17th, 2011.
During this consultancy, Gerry Veley analyzed the status of local beekeeping at two projects, BASA and SHISUK, outside of Dhaka. Training sessions included pest management (without the use of chemicals), value-chain products, sanitation, marketing and sales. The contact persons for the consultancy were Vickie Limbird in Little Rock, Arkansas and Md. Shamsul Kabir, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Mr. Veley was recently asked to return to Dhaka to work with the Bangladesh Institute of Apiculture in developing value-chain products for the domestic market and Mr. Veley has accepted the offer.
- Managing Oregon Pure Honey Company and Lao Jungle Honey Co., Ltd.
- Developing new products and improving existing products;
- For Oregon Pure Honey Company, a variety of flavors of 100% Natural lip balm, incorporating both the company's
Honey and beeswax; - For Oregon Pure Honey Company, a variety of 100% natural Soaps incorporating the company's honey;
- For Lao Jungle Honey Co. Ltd., developing value chain Products from local village beekeeping that can be produced by The Villagers, such as candles for use in the temples and soap, Made in part from local ingredients that reflect the villages' Ethnic heritage;
- For Lao Jungle Honey Co. Ltd., also developing a 100% Natural skin cream that women can use to moisturize as well as Protect their skin from the sun.
Jan. - Feb. 2010
- Consultancy with the Bokeo provincial government, GMS - Sustainable Tourism to assist two target villages in Bokeo province In NW Laos;
- Analysis of the current status of the village beekeeping With suggestions for improvements in practical methods for Increasing success with the indigenous bee, apis cerana;
- Gerry Veley improved the sanitation of the beekeeping Equipment to meet Western standards;
- Improved the cleanliness of the honey and reduced the water Content to acceptable levels;
- Assisted in sales and marketing;
- Feasibility research for value chain products;
May - July 2009
- Consultancy with CARE-Laos: Assessed the status of the indigenous Beekeeping in three Khamu villages in NE Laos;
- Over the assignment period Gerry Veley was able to improve The village income from beekeeping by 350% net;
- Improved the cleanliness of the honey to meet Western Standards, thus improving the sales market;
- Reduced the water content of the honey to exceed American legal retail requirements; Introduced the village beekeepers to bee boxes with frames, Instead of the traditional log hives;
- Trained the beekeepers in marketing and sales;
EDUCATION:
University of Freiburg, Germany, Art History and Archaeology, 1973-1974
University of Portland, B.A. in Modern Languages, 1975
University of Konstanz, Germany, Latin and History, 1987-1988
LANGUAGES:
English and German are fluent;
Moderate command of Dutch;
Basics in Lao and Thai