Jul 5, 2007
FNGLA Honors Industry Members, Elects OfficersSource: FNGLA

Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA) honored 14 individuals with the 2007 FNGLA Industry Awards during its 55th Annual Convention in June. These awards are given annually to those contributing time and energy into enhancing, protecting and serving Florida’s nursery and landscape industry.

FNGLA member Gary Roberts of Gary Roberts Nursery & Landscape, Inc., in Ft. Pierce, was honored with the Wendell Butler Award, recognized as FNGLA’s most prestigious award for faithful and exceptional service to FNGLA and the horticulture industry.

Kenneth St. Germain of St. Germain’s Dracaena Farm in Homestead was recognized as the 2007 FNGLA Hall of Fame inductee. Established in 1977 as the Foliage Hall of Fame, this award was expanded in 2001 to include all industry segments. The named individuals contributed unselfishly of their time and effort to the industry through pioneering, teaching, production, legislation, marketing, services or research.

Also acknowledged were the following Industry Award recipients:

Farm Credit/FNGLA Young Nursery Professional of the Year: Erik Tietig, Pine Island Nursery & Tree Farm (Miami)
Outstanding Chapter President: Frank Giglia, Jr., Signature Supply, Inc. (Lakeland)
Outstanding Chapter Secretary/Treasurer: Jane Spurling, FNGLA Miami-Dade Chapter, Walt’s Collected Plants (Key Largo)
Outstanding Allied Division Member: Carolan Mahr, Ted Mahr Supply, Inc. (Cape Coral)
Outstanding Floriculture Division Member: Alan Shapiro, Grandiflora (Gainesville)
Outstanding Foliage Division Member: Randy Strode, Agri-Starts, Inc. (Apopka)
Outstanding Garden Center Division Member: Paul Brock, Tallahassee Nurseries, Inc. (Tallahassee)
Outstanding Landscape Division Member: Wayne Tharpe, Washington Holmes Technical Center (Chipley)
Outstanding Woody Ornamental Division Member: Rosemary Warner, Native Southeastern Trees, Inc. (Osteen)
FNGLA Friend of the Industry: Mario Diaz-Balart, United States Congressman and Ken Kuhl, Florida Department of Agriculture
Outstanding Educator: Ed Skvarch, St. Lucie County Extension Service (Ft. Pierce)

FNGLA’s Industry Awards Program acknowledges both FNGLA and industry service – with varying criteria for each award. Nominations are accepted from the industry-at-large and winners are selected by a committee of industry peers.

FNGLA also elected its 2007-2008 officers during its 55th Annual Convention. FNGLA welcomes its new leaders: