SEQUIM — Sequim Lavender Farmers Association, the newly formed organization that recently broke away from the Sequim Lavender Festival’s orginal group, Sequim Lavender Growers Association, today announced that the hired the Scott Nagel as executive director.

Nagel, who has directed the Sequim Lavender Festival since 2004 and whose Port Angeles-based company, Olympic Peninsula Celebrations, also produced the Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles, will produce the Sequim Lavender Farm Festival and represent the farmers association to the community as its executive director.

Nagel will work with the lavender farmers to ensure that the Sequim Lavender Farmers Association capitalizes on opportunities and events to position and promote the association, the new association said.

Asked why he left the Sequim Lavender Growers Association for the new Sequim Lavender Farmers Association that features six pioneering Sequim-Dungeness Valley farms in the annual festival farm tour, Nagel said he had been working with the growers association without a contract since September.