By DAN WHEAT

Capital Press

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Carisa Miklusak, CEO of tMedia Strategies, a "transmedia" consulting firm in New York and Vancouver, B.C., is the luncheon speaker at Northwest Cherry Growers' annual Cherry Institute.

The gathering of cherry growers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana will be Jan. 11 at the Yakima Convention Center.

Miklusak's clients range from Fortune 500 companies to governmental organizations and independent film campaigns. She believes an irresistibly engaging story line is presented when a brand's or person's message is shared through multiple media with small amounts of new information given each time in slightly different ways.

Miklusak built several multi-million-dollar business units at Careerbuilder.com. She holds an executive MBA from Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, and a master's degree in integrated online marketing from the University of San Francisco.

Northwest Cherry Growers, headquartered in Yakima, promotes sweet cherries for producer members in the five states.

Labor, marketing and managing pests and crop load will be discussed at the meeting.

To register by Dec. 31, call Kathy Keeth at (509) 853-3504. Registration is $25 for the meeting and lunch or $15 for either the meeting or lunch.

An orchard tour starts at 1 p.m. Jan. 10, half a mile north of the intersection of Gilbert and Ballard roads, north of Buena. The tour is of three Early Robin orchards trained to different systems: UFO (Upright Fruiting Offshoots), modified steep leader and Y trellis.