Fresno-based Netafim Names Melissa Lilze First Woman SVP for North America

Netafim, the global irrigation company whose North American operations are based in Fresno, named Melissa Lilze senior vice president to lead its business across the continent, the company announced January 20. Lilze is the first woman to hold the role, a symbolic and practical milestone for a firm whose Fresno facility designs, manufactures and sells drip- and micro-irrigation systems used across Central Valley orchards, vineyards and specialty crops.

The appointment underscores Netafim’s push to modernize operations and accelerate product innovation at a time when water management has become central to farm economics in Fresno County. Lilze, who brings both field and technology experience, will focus on increasing grower adoption of efficient irrigation tools and expanding production and services out of the Fresno plant. Company statements indicated many new products from the facility originate from direct conversations with local farmers about on-the-ground challenges, reflecting a field-driven development model that ties R&D to valley conditions.

For Fresno growers, the hire could mean faster rollout of irrigation systems tailored to the region’s crops and soils. The Central Valley supplies a large share of the nation’s fruit, nut and vegetable output, and California agriculture consumes roughly 40 percent of the state’s developed water supply. As groundwater rules under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and ongoing climate variability tighten water availability, demand for technologies that increase water-use efficiency has risen. Netafim’s expanded leadership focus in North America aims to capture that market need while keeping manufacturing and technical support local.

Market implications extend beyond farms. More activity at the Fresno facility can support regional employment in manufacturing, engineering and field services, and sustain supplier chains that serve irrigation system assembly and sensor integration. For growers, precision and micro-irrigation systems can reduce applied water and fertilizer, improving per-acre yields and lowering input volatility — outcomes that matter for crops like almonds, grapes and tree fruit that dominate Fresno County’s landscape.

Policy and long-term trends favor investment in efficient irrigation. State and federal programs increasingly tie funding and incentives to measurable water savings and on-farm efficiency. Netafim’s leadership change signals the company intends to align product development with those incentives and regulatory realities while leveraging local field knowledge to solve practical problems.

What this means for readers is practical: expect continued innovation in farm irrigation coming out of Fresno, potential job and supplier activity tied to the plant, and more options for growers seeking to stretch scarce water supplies. Industry watchers should monitor product rollouts from the Fresno site and any hiring or investment announcements that follow Lilze’s appointment.