WESTERVILLE, USA, June 17, 2013: The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association is pleased to announce its recent hire of Amy Eldridge, who joins the ONLA team as CENTS Manager. In this role, Eldridge will develop and manage strategies to provide top-flight exhibitor and attendee experiences at the Midwest’s premier nursery, landscape, and garden center convention. CENTS Marketplace is scheduled for January 13-15, 2014 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. CENTS is offered annually to green industry professionals to provide business knowledge about sales, operations and profitability along with continuing education through the esteemed The Ohio State University Nursery Short Course. The convention draws exhibitors and attendees including: Growers, Independent Garden Centers, Landscape Contractors, Arborists, Turf, and Pest Management professionals.
“I am excited to serve ONLA members and industry partners. Their professional success is my top priority,” Eldridge said. “Creating the best experience possible for every CENTS exhibitor and attendee is my goal. I want everyone affiliated with CENTS to emerge motivated, energized, and inspired.”
Eldridge comes to ONLA with more than a decade’s experience in the convention and expo field. Most recently, Eldridge worked as event director for the Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children. There, she led exhibitor and attendee engagement initiatives, including sales and marketing, education, and event planning. This experience has made Eldridge’s early days with ONLA smooth.
“Martin Luther King once said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?’ I intend to apply this credo, along with my background in association service and my experience in managing large conventions to CENTS and open new business doors for exhibitors, help industry professionals network and learn, and redefine the CENTS experience.”
Eldridge will manage all aspects of CENTS, from sales of exhibit space to the development of exhibitor education materials, from efficient move-in and move-out to on-the-show-floor learning experiences. Eldridge will ensure that CENTS, the oldest, largest, and most respected nursery, landscape, and garden center trade show in the Midwest, continues to provide customized experiences to motivate green industry professionals, improve industry performance and sales, and create collaborative learning and networking opportunities.
An industry show for industry people, CENTS provides tools and resources on mission-critical business and green industry issues, trends and opportunities. From lead generation and operations information to pre-season buying incentives and Short Course educational programs, CENTS creates a high-energy forum where attendees can buy, sell, learn and meet. CENTS goes beyond the green side of the business to the business side of the business, to help the industry survive and prosper. For more information, call (800) 825-5062.
James Wong to headline HTA National Plant Show seminars
THEALE, UK, May 29, 2013: HTA has announced that best-selling author James Wong will headline the HTA National Plant Show seminars, sponsored by Barclaycard at 10am on 25 June.
James Wong is a Kew-trained botanist, BBC science presenter and obsessive foodie grower who is fascinated in all things plant related. James has also written three international best-selling books as well as contributing to publications such as The Guardian and The Garden.
During his seminar, sponsored by Suttons Seeds, visitors will hear James’ unique take on the future for Grow Your Own. He’ll offer ideas for retailers to inspire a new wave of excitement in this product area that has generated so much interest over recent years. Using his own hands-on experience in growing a wide range of unusual plants, James could have the key to tapping into the next generation. His enthusiasm is infectious and a lively and stimulating seminar is assured.
Two more plant-focussed seminars will run at 3pm on Tuesday 25 June and 10am Wednesday 26 June. Further seminars speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
The HTA National Plant Show takes place on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June 2013 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, UK.
For more information visit www.nationalplantshow.co.uk
ALEXANDRIA, USA, April 22, 2013: Garrett Owen, currently pursuing his M.S. in Horticulture Science from North Carolina State University, was awarded the 2013 Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship honoring the late floriculture pioneer.
Ecke made indispensable contributions to the advancement of the global floriculture industry and recognized that creative scientists and educators are necessary for the industry’s future, which is why this scholarship is awarded to students who will become the next generation of exceptional researchers or educators.
“This scholarship is definitely going to help financially, but it also continues to fuel my passion to further my education so I can make an impact from the classroom to the greenhouse,” Owen said. “I once heard ‘success breeds motivation,’ and receiving this scholarship helps keep me motivated to make a difference and make a positive impact.”
Owen, who aspires to become a floriculture extension specialist and professor, will continue his education as a doctoral candidate in floriculture research at Purdue University under Roberto G. Lopez, Ph.D.
“As Garrett’s future Ph.D. advisor, I was very excited to hear that such a bright and deserving young man was selected to receive the Paul Ecke Jr. Scholarship,” Lopez, Associate Professor & Indiana Floriculture Extension Specialist at Purdue, said. “At the age of 15, Garrett opened up his own commercial greenhouse and has the aspirations of helping other growers through research and extension."
Owen’s doctoral research will involve investigating greenhouse light-emitting diodes (LEDs), wavelength, color spectrum, substrate and air temperature in the propagation environment. He hopes his research will improve propagation and cut costs for production facilities.
This prestigious scholarship, established in 2010, is funded by contributions to AFE from the floral industry, the Ecke family and other sources.
Owen will receive $5,000 for two consecutive years, provided he continues meeting scholarship requirements. Visit www.endowment.org for more information about this scholarship as well as more than 20 others.
The American Floral Endowment is dedicated to advancing the industry through funding floriculture research, educational grants and scholarships. More than $14 million has been funded toward research projects benefiting the entire industry, and more than $400,000 has been funded in scholarships designed to attract and retain the future leaders of the industry. To learn more about AFE visit www.endowment.org or www.fb.com/americanfloralendowment.
Remembering Jacob van Namen, floral industry pioneer
ALEXANDRIA,USA, April 21, 2013: Jacob van Namen, founder of Vans Floral Products and former American Floral Endowment (AFE) Trustee, died March 31 in Chicago. He was 90.
A successful businessman from Holland, Mr. Van Namen immigrated to the United States in 1955 with his wife Rita and two sons, Jack and John. The family settled in Chicago where Mr. Van Namen worked a variety of jobs until being hired by DeBoer Wholesale Florist.
By 1960, he was a partner in the business and soon assumed ownership of the company, which became known as Van's Wholesale Florists. "Van" grew the company from a single location in the Chicago area to 12 distribution centers in six states by the 1990s. As his family grew, his sons and daughter followed in their father's footsteps to become active in the business, along with some of his grandsons in later years.
Mr. Van Namen believed strongly in sharing his time, talent and resources in his community and the floral industry by supporting many nonprofit and faith-based organizations. He served as an AFE Trustee, as well as on committees and boards of the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (WF&FSA) and the Society of American Florists (SAF). WF&FSA honored him with the Leland T. Kintzele Distinguished Service Award, and he received numerous other awards and recognitions throughout his career.
Mr. Van Namen promoted higher education as a trustee of Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill., where he contributed to several building projects. He also supported the horticulture program at Michigan State University with contributions to the International Horticulture Gardens. In addition to his industry achievements, Mr. Van Namen was designated as an Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau, the Netherlands’ highest civilian honor, for his role in promoting and furthering Dutch-U.S. trade relations.
Mr. Van Namen remained active in the business and influential in the industry into his early 80s. He is survived by his devoted wife of 65 years, Rita; was a loving father of Jack (Carolynn), John (Tracy), Joyce (Rick Mast), Jim (Barbara); dear father-in-law of Ineke and Cyndy; cherished grandfather of 13 and beloved great-grandfather of 15; preceded in death by a son, Tony, and a grand-daughter, Jacqueline Van Namen Coakley.
Mr. Van Namen and his wife established the Jacob and Rita Van Namen Marketing Scholarship in 1997. Administered by AFE, this scholarship is intended for knowledgeable and creative individuals with an interest in agribusiness marketing or the distribution of floral products. Friends and colleagues can make a memorial gift to the scholarship or to Trinity Christian College, which Mr. Van Namen supported with his time and resources for many years.
To contribute to the Jacob and Rita Van Namen Marketing Scholarship, visit http://www.endowment.org/donate and specify the donation is for the Jacob and Rita Van Namen Marketing Scholarship in the “gift options” section. Contributions can also be mailed to:
American Floral Endowment
c/o The Jacob and Rita Van Namen Marketing Scholarship
1601 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
AFE contributions are tax deductible, and the family will be notified of all contributions.
In memoriam: Wolfgang Engelmann
by Chris Beytes* APOPKA, USA, April 8, 2013: Less than a year after reporting the death of his father, Hermann, I have the sad duty to report the death of my good friend Wolfgang Engelmann, from cancer, on March 30. He was just 55. A sixth-generation nurseryman and CEO of Engelmann Greenhouses, Wolfgang came to the U.S. from Germany in 1961. His father founded Engelmann’s in Apopka, Florida, a decade later, quickly building it into one of the largest and most-respected houseplant operations in the world, with 3 million sq. ft. of greenhouses and 350 employees. Their “Exotic Angel” brand has been a staple of every retailer large and small for years.
Wolfgang leaves behind his wife, Amy, daughter Lauren, son Andrew, mother Anneliese, stepfather Joe, brother Hermann, sister Victoria and extended family in the United States and Germany.
Wolfgang called me with the news of his cancer last spring and told me matter-of-factly that was getting his affairs in order. But once his treatments began, his unsinkable optimism took over and he started thinking long-term, confident he’d beat the disease. Too bad it wasn’t to be. He loved talking about the business and about cars, for which we both shared a passion. (I shot this picture of him when he was testing his very fast Camaro.)
There were two things that most impressed me about Wolfgang. The first was how good he was to his people. Most business owners credit their people for their success, but Wolfgang made it tangible. I’ve heard many stories of his generosity.
The second was how he stuck to the family’s high quality standards in spite of pressures from competitors and customers. I interviewed Wolfgang for THIS STORY in GrowerTalks’ June 2009 issue, and he told me, “When my father started this company, he always told me, ‘Make sure when the customer opens the box, they don’t go, “Oh,” they go “Wow!”’ That’s what we try to do.”
As for Engelmann's future, I spoke to company president Bisser Georgiev. He told me that just before his death, Wolfgang had convinced an old friend of the family, Chuck Romagnoli, to join the company as CEO. Chuck has extensive foliage brokerage experience with Angel Plants of Long Island, founded by his father (and since sold to Kurt Weiss). The similarity in name to Engelmann’s brand is not a coincidence and shows how close the families are.
Bisser will continue in his role of president, focused primarily on strategy, sales and marketing. And Sandra Kitain will continue as COO/CFO. Bisser says Engelmann’s will continue on the path set by the founder more than 40 years ago.
Wolfgang’s son Andrew, who’s just finishing up a degree in accounting, will be joining the company as the seventh generation of Engelmann to grow plants, Bisser says. (Meanwhile, daughter Lauren, the medical doctor, is finishing her residency).
* Chris Beytes is editor of Grower Talks based in Chicago, the United States.
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